The 2022 Olympics are just around the corner: footballers are being questioned about the sport - and are wrong in rows

Created: 01/21/2022, 16:53

By: Andreas Knobloch

Emre Can and Marcel Halstenberg - do you know which disciplines the sport of Nordic combined combines?

Here in the picture Eric Frenzel 2018. © Imago 2x collage

The 2022 Olympics are just around the corner.

Among other things with the Nordic combination.

But what was that again exactly?

Professional soccer players have their problems too.

Munich – A highlight every four years for many athletes and fans: the Olympic Winter Games. This year they are taking place in China. From February 4th to 20th, the DSV athletes will be chasing medals there. Whether in alpine skiing, bobsleigh, ski jumping, biathlon or even in Nordic combined and many more, for the Germans it's all about delivering the best performance of the season. Wait a minute, Nordic Combined, what was that again? What comes like a shot from a gun for many winter sports freaks is not immediately clear to everyone.

During a campaign by the DFL Foundation, professional soccer players from the Bundesliga were asked about that sport.

Nordic combined caused a sensation at the 2018 Olympic Games in Pyeongchang.

Because the current title holders all come from Germany.

Eric Frenzel, Johannes Rydzek and in the team competition (Frenzel, Rydzek, Vinzenz Geiger and Fabian Rießle) ensured triple gold in the medal table.

But in which disciplines have the athletes excelled?

Olympia 2022: What was Nordic Combined again?

Guess pro football players

That's what the non-profit organization of Marcel Halstenberg (RB Leipzig), Emre Can (Borussia Dortmund), Denis Zakaria (Borussia Mönchengladbach), Lukas Hradecky (Bayer 04 Leverkusen) and Sasa Kalajdzic (VfB Stuttgart) wanted to know. So much is anticipated: Not everyone knew immediately which two disciplines were meant. After all, the professional kickers still have to be commended for allowing themselves to be squeezed for a good cause.

Halstenberg knew from the start that it was going to be difficult.

"For God's sake..." he responds to the question.

Denis Zakaria suggested the "100 meter sprint" but then learned it was a winter sport.

The Austrian Kalajdzic bets on “run and shoot”.

Lukas Hradecky replies: "Ski jumping and cross-country skiing, we have a few Olympic champions there, I should know that." Halstenberg's skepticism has also subsided, and he also answers correctly.

Olympia 2022: Nordic combined - the big favorites

Kalajdzic admits confusing Nordic combined with biathlon.

Hradecky is probably alluding to Sampa Lajunen, who won two individual golds and one gold with the team in 2002, with the Olympic champions.

This year the big favorites are Johannes Lamparter from Austria, Jarl Magnus Riiber from Norway and the three Germans with Vinzenz Geiger, Eric Frenzel and Terence Weber.

Should Lamparter win gold, Kalajdzic will not confuse the sports so easily (ank)