Spain’s Mikel Oyarzabal celebrates as Spain win the UEFA Cup final against England at Berlin’s Olympiastadion on Sunday.
Hesham Elsherif/Anadolu Photo source: Getty Images
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Hesham Elsherif/Anadolu Photo source: Getty Images
BERLIN – The chants and shouts on the streets of Berlin over the past month have not been voices of anger and protest at deepening political and social divisions, but of joy and excitement about the European football championships.
Hosted by Germany, the tournament, also known as Euro 2024, brings together fans of the “beautiful game” from across the continent at a time when much of Europe is divided.
Fans crowded in front of television screens outside bars and convenience stores in the German capital on Sunday night, sipping beers and soaking up the excitement as Spain played England in the final. The crowd cheered in multiple European languages as Spain beat England 2-1.
The four-week frenzy has eased many Europeans’ uneasiness about the far right’s recent political gains with anti-immigration rhetoric across the continent.
The race kicked off on June 14, just days after the European Parliament elections, which saw a shift to the right across the continent.
French President Emmanuel Macron has called for early legislative elections after the far-right National Rally party defeated centrists in European Parliament votes. France men’s football captain Kylian Mbappe turned to politics at a press conference on June 16, calling on young fans to vote against Marine Le Pen’s far-right party.
“We see extremes knocking on the door of power,” Mbappe warned. “I want to be proud to represent France, I don’t want to represent a country that doesn’t fit my values or our values.”
After Le Pen finished first in the first round of the national rally, Mbappe said the result was “catastrophic” and urged French fans to get out and vote. “We can’t hand our country over to these people,” the soccer star said on July 4.
Ultimately, the National Rally fell behind a coalition of France’s left and center in the second round of legislative elections on July 7.
Meanwhile, in Germany, The far-right Alternative for Germany refuses to accept its national team because it is too ethnically diverse. In the European Parliament elections, the AfD came second nationally and first in eastern Germany.
Björn Höcke sits on the far-right fringe of the AfD, He said he no longer identified with the German team because it “permeates every pore with a rainbow of ideologies.”
His dog-whistle comments echoed the findings of a recent survey commissioned by public broadcaster WDR, which showed that 21% of Germans “prefer more white players in the national team”.
The German coach and team members called the poll “racist”.
“We are here [at the championship] “Play for everyone in the country,” Germany coach Julian Nagelsmann said.
To promote diversity, Nagelsmann’s players wore pink and purple uniforms during games. Color choice is a play on words bunt — means “colourful” and is often used in German to describe a multicultural and LGBTQ+ society. It has become the team’s fastest-selling away jersey.
Spanish forward Lamine Yamal holds the Best Young Player trophy after winning the UEFA Euro 2024 final football match between Spain and England, before Spanish King Felipe VI (left) and UEFA President Alexander Ceferin (right) celebrates on the podium.
Adrian Dennis/AFP via Getty Images
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Adrian Dennis/AFP via Getty Images
While the AfD believes the jersey is eye-catching, the party can hardly deny that diversity on the pitch leads to success.
Take Spain’s Lamine Yamal, a 17-year-old rising star in the tournament.
After becoming the youngest goalscorer in UEFA European Championship history, Yamal spelled out the number 304 with his fingers – a proud reference to the postcode of Rocca Fonda, a multicultural community, where he grew up with his Moroccan father and Equatorial Guineans.
Just last week, Spain’s King Felipe VI praised the “brilliance” and sheer skill of Yamal, who helped Spain win the World Cup on Sunday.
For four weeks, the European Cup has shown a Europe that many still struggle for: united in diversity.
