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When the famous Tartan Army met the Teuton Army

2nd July 2026 funtime65

When the famous Tartan Army met the Teuton Army in the Euros in Germany two years ago it changed everything.

With bonds between the 200,000 Scots and their German hosts forged and rekindled.

And promises made to meet up again in two years time in America at the World Cup.

Alas, our paths weren’t to cross in the US with Scotland and Germany being drawn apart and both being knocked out early.

But did last night at a Scottish-German get-together in Edinburgh last night.

Where we raised a Prost and a Sláinte with Harald, Charlotte and unsere alten Freunde.

And parked any Schadenfreude for England’s travails until they squeezed by DR Congo.

Back at kindergarten

Not, in truth, that the Germans have ever bought into the grudge that England feels for them.

With, in fact, it being the Dutch with whom the Germans share a rivalry.

Now while football was to the fore, and the World Cup is poorer for Scotland and Germany being out.

We were in town to celebrate the links between our countries and learn, of course, new things.

Because, after all every day is a kindergarten day.

And didn’t we discover our hosts for the night. Anderson Strathern LLP, boasted a Nuremberg chest heirloom dating back to 1701?

My German footballing odyssey

My own German footballing odyssey involved Nuremberg .

When I took in my first game in Deutschland, a Bavarian derby with Bayern Munchen during my first Oktoberfest.

And not even getting a smack in the nose back outside the Hofbrauhuis.

For trying to split up two footballing frauleins, from one of their boyfriends I’m saying, has put me off my love of football.

Which was cemented on a memorable tour around the Ruhr, the spiritual home of German football, while also visiting the German football museum.

Where they bask in the glory of four World Cups and three European Championships (count them).

Flower of Scotland in Germany

World in our hands: At the German Football Museum

So everything is still rosy in the German garden and also in the Ruhr region which will bring a different tourist over next year for their very special gardening spectacle.

All of which has got me thinking, mibbeees I should present a trip to the Ruhr Valley as a horitcultural holiday to Der Scary One.

And I slide off to Essen, Dortmund and Gelsenkirchen.

Countries, Europe, Sport

Ruhr Champions roar

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And despite the love-in for Madrid there is a match to be played out tonight and an authentic football base to be sated… so let’s give out a Ruhr Champions roar.

Borussia Dortmund v Real Madrid is truly a clash of styles and cultures.

Dortmund, the fans-owned people’s club from the German industrial heartland with the Yellow Wall at their back.

And in the white corner, Real, the King’s and State’s club with the tapas and rioja guzzlers in the corporate boxes backing them.

Of course, I’ve known about Real, just like you, as long as I’ve known about football.

On my account because Los Blancos had won the last of their five-in-a-row European Cups in 1960.

In front of a 137,000 crowd at Hampden, Glasgow, which included Alex Ferguson… and my Dear Old Dad.

Pin it on Dortmund

Of course when the Spaniards came to Glasgow to play the clubs here it was always a big deal.

But it was a night in the early 90s where I formed an interest in their opponents tonight, Borussia Dortmund.

When a German reporter on the local Dortmund paper entered the press box.

And started handing out club pins for the Scots, myself included, reporting on that night’s game with Celtic.

It wasn’t just the start of a friendship between both press packs but also between both clubs despite Celtic overturning the Cologne first leg lead that night.

Legendary players transferred between the clubs, Murdo Macleod to the Ruhr Valley.

And Paul Lambert, fresh from winning the European Cup with Dortmund, to Parkhead.

Wrong step for ex-players

Tonight Dortmund will try and repeat that feat and it would be just as big an upset as it was back in 1997 when they defeated another European behemoth Juventus, of Italy.

Now every club holds their legends dear, and are suspicious of those, who hotfoot it for bigger riches and especially to rivals Bayern Munich.

Which is how it was when Dortmund star Robert Lewandowski returned from Munich to play his old team.

And was told that he had to walk down the unlucky steps into the ground as he was now ‘one of them.’

Kloppelganger

One who is undoubtedly ‘one of us’, or a Dortmunder, is Jurgen Klopp, who is held in high regard for his time there.

So much so that they even have a doppelganger taking the tours around the stadium.

In best Ruhr tradition food and drink complement the football fun of visiting the changing rooms and the home dugout.

And you will be able to drink the local beer, sausages and meaty fun pitchside.

And hear how Kloppie’s wife would bake cakes for the team until his successor Killjoy Thomas Tuchel put a stop to it.

Here we go Dortmund

Stand too in the Yellow Wall which will certainly prompt a visit for a match which is considerably cheaper than at Real, or in English football.

Football fans around Europe who haven’t enjoyed the delights of Dortmund before will invariably do so this month at Euro 2024.

And if they have the stomach visit the German Football Museum.

And marvel at the stories behind their four World Cup triumphs and three Euro titles (to date).

Of course they’ll have a say in this year’s tournament (despite Scotland’s imminent victory in the opener) and if they do win it you’ll hear the Ruhr Champions Roar.

Countries, Europe, Sport

The Essen Socca Sixes World

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I’m thinking I hung up my boots too early… I’ve only been sent a personal invitation to The Essen Socca Sixes World Cup.

Perhaps, my efforts on the Meadowbank indoors court reached the Ruhr region of Germany.

Particularly a solo goal when I rounded the whole opposition and my own team to slide one home, perhaps my last goal.

Of course, the Ruhr region is the beating heart of German football.

And the Socca World Cup is just the lift they need following Borussia Dortmund’s heartbreaking near miss for the Bundesliga title to nemesis Bayern Munich.

And don’t just take our word for it, well do, but the German Football Museum (and me last month) is there.

Where Der Mannschaft’s four World Cups (count them, as many victories as Scotland have won games in WC competitions) are celebrated.

And one proud Essener, Helmut Rahn, who played for Rot-Weiss.

And scored two goals in the final over the Magnificent Magyars, including the winner.

A new pitch

Helmut is alas long since now up in the sky having a kickabout with the rest of those German heroes of 1945.

But that only means there is an opening for a new Essen hero, or at least another World Cup winner, deep in the heart of this Ruhr city.

You’ll have heard me rave about the Esseners’ efforts at rebuilding itself into a post-industrial, cultural destination for visitors.

And they have shown ingenuity again by erecting a six-a-side stadium in the middle of the city.

EMG Managing Director Richard Rohrhoff takes up the story, saying: ‘Not many people dare to build a stadium in the middle of a city centre.”

‘The pictures of this World Cup and thus of Essen are going around the world.

‘It’s great advertising for the city and tourism in Essen.”

Platz where to go

World in my hands: The World Cup in Dortmund

Forty-four teams from five continents will compete against each other over games of 40 minutes each.

Not only are the game lengths shorter but a team also consists of only six players with the pitch only 46 by 27 metres.

If you want to watch the game, simply go to the mobile stadium in Kennedyplatz.

And btw, neighbouring Schalke 04 have a real-size pitch they wheel into their ground every game).

The Kennedyplatz stadium seats around 3,000 people and admission is free.

Or watch the games live on DAZN which broadcasts around the world.

Germany open up against Cyprus tomorrow, June 2, at 9pm.

Best bar none

You win, you loos: The quirky bar urinal

One place certainly to watch the match if you can’t get in and are in Essen is the 11 Freunde Die Bar (11 Friends Football Bar).

Where the only thing I could hit was the novelty ball and goal in the toilet urinal that they have in the gents.

And, of course, this is just another example of one of the world’s great myths that the Germans do not have a sense of humour.

So take in The Essen Socca Sixes World Cup.

Because all us amateur after-work footballers can identify with it and believe we should be playing in it.

And remember that Germany is just a Lufthansa flight away from all major airports.

And as well as free attendance for the Socca, the soccer is also far better-priced than the English Premier League.

Countries, Europe

The Ruhr Roar

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We pride ourselves in Scotland on the sound our football fans make but truly it can surely never match The Ruhr Roar.

I am standing in the Yellow Wall of Borussia Dortmund’s Westfalenstadion and a little kid 100 rows is screaming.

We’re told her screech would be amplified 20,000 times when the supporters are yelling on their beloved Borussia.

You imagine it would be difficult pitchside for a coach, say ex-Borussia boss Jurgen Klopp, to get his messages to his players or his staff.

But today on our stadium tour it is not a problem, we only need to get the attention of the barman serving us beer in the technical area.

Another brand might say if they did football tours these would be the best football tours in the world.

Deutschland uber alles

Scotland rule the world: German Football Museum

Certainly for German fans as we visit too the National Football Museum.

Though not the Hungarian in our group who left with the cheers for the German team who beat his side to the World Cup in 1954 ringing in his ears.

The Miracle of Bern, the first of four World Cups Germany have won is referenced relentlessly throughout the one-hour tour.

And to think my own native Scotland have only won four finals matches in their entire history.

All of which means that the closest you’ll ever get to see a Scot next to the World Cup is in a museum like this.

Now football museums may seem a niche interest but they are a cultural guide into a people at play.

Gelsekirchen’s kickin’

And you know what I say about seeking out the quarters where the locals play and pray when you travel.

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