| After more than a century of development, soccer | | | | organization of their clubs at an administrative level |
| has become truly the global sport. Despite its uniform | | | | dates back to the late 1800s, which had an |
| rules and objective, countries around the world | | | | immediate impact on the emphasis on organization on |
| exemplify many different styles of the sport, and | | | | the field as well. To this day, German soccer is |
| indeed value different aspects of the game as most | | | | known for their industriousness, organization, and |
| important, which greatly influences their country's | | | | discipline. |
| unique style of play. In many cases, it is argued that | | | | Germans' tendency to value teamwork over |
| societies' own values, culture, history, and structure | | | | individuality is noticeably embodied in their style of |
| have a major impact on the development of their | | | | play. As former German national team coach Bertie |
| style of play. Germany is a unique example of how | | | | Vogts once stated, "My star is the team." The |
| their societal codes have influenced the German style | | | | shaping of this mentality in German culture can be |
| of soccer. Historically, Germany has exhibited | | | | dated to the pre-World War II era. Physical education |
| valorization of the military which has translated to | | | | programs and the most popular sport in German |
| valuing precision, power, and discipline on the soccer | | | | during the late 1800s, "Turnen", or Gymnastics, |
| field. The tendency for Germans to value teamwork | | | | emphasized shared cultural strengths. German soccer |
| over individuality is clearly exemplified in their style of | | | | is a microcosm of this collective mentality, valuing a |
| play. Deeply embedded in the German character are | | | | player carrying out his role and 'job', rather than |
| formality, ritual and perfectionism that have created a | | | | carrying the team on his shoulders. To Germans, the |
| unique drive for success that is readily reflected in | | | | beauty of the sport is in the teamwork, not the |
| the German soccer style. | | | | individual. |
| Military tradition has played a central role in German | | | | Deeply entrenched in the German spirit are formality, |
| society, which has greatly influenced the German | | | | ritual and perfectionism that have shaped a unique |
| soccer style to encompass precision, power, | | | | drive for success that is readily reflected in the |
| organization, and discipline. For over a century, the | | | | German soccer style. The German psyche |
| military elite and civil servants have been regarded as | | | | encompasses a yearning for perfection, formality, |
| a higher rank within society than rich businessmen | | | | and ritual that can be attributed to historical emphasis |
| and merchants. Thus, characteristics of the military | | | | on manners, etiquette and ceremonial occasions. "This |
| are prevalent in the German style of play, much | | | | drive for perfection has been translated into a drive |
| more so than many other footballing nations. Precision | | | | for success, regardless of the means. Chancellor Kohl |
| and power are synonymous with German football. | | | | reemphasized this belief when he congratulated |
| Relentless discipline in training, and discipline during the | | | | Coach Berti Vogts in 1996 by saying, 'It's not |
| game is at the heart of their game. Stupendous | | | | important how one wins but that one wins'. |