When footballers like Haaland and Lewandowski are missing from tournaments, phantom pain sets in in the audience. But Germany can look forward to the fans. Because the visitors are more important for success anyway.
Fifa and UEFA have not yet managed to expand the field of participants to such an extent that every reasonably well-known association member is allowed to take part in the major national tournaments. So it still happens that a few prominent stars can’t play. Phantom pain immediately sets in in the audience – before the celebration has begun, the players are already missing. Complaints were already piling up over the weekend that Erling Haaland and Norway would be missing from the 2024 European Championship. His fellow top scorer Robert Lewandowski is also threatened with an unwanted summer break, but he can still hope for the playoffs with Poland.