Zoom meeting with Angela Merkel before the start of the European Championship: Group photo with the Chancellor

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Angela Merkel

Photo: CHRISTIAN MARQUARDT / POOL / EPA

Before the start of the European Football Championship, the German national soccer team met with Chancellor Angela Merkel in a video link.

They talked about the current situation, about the pandemic.

"Otherwise it was a nice question-and-answer game between players and the Chancellor," said DFB director Oliver Bierhoff of the ARD "Sportschau".

The CDU politician prepared the team of national coach Joachim Loew for a demanding tournament.

"I'm looking forward to your games," tweeted government spokesman Steffen Seibert on behalf of Merkel.

“It’s about to start difficult;

I keep my fingers crossed that you can get very far. «The DFB selection starts with the game against world champions France on Tuesday in Munich in the EM.

In the past, Merkel had met the entire team personally before major tournaments, but this time it was not possible due to the pandemic, and photos of cabin visits after major games caused a sensation.

But even the virtual exchange is "a huge appreciation and a nice distraction", Bierhoff had already said before the news: "It is clear to everyone that it is a national matter and the result is important for us all."

sak / sid / dpa