Ahead of Saturday’s Euro 2016 quarterfinal match against Italy, the German national soccer team once again bears the weight of a nation’s hopes and expectations on its shoulders. However, the reigning World Cup champions are used to this feeling at this point, and head coach Joachim Low figured Tuesday the best way to keep the team relaxed was to avoid soccer altogether.
Instead, a few team members channeled Top Gun and played beach volleyball instead.
No training today, so the boys are sweating it out on the beach volleyball court! ☀️🏐😎 #JederFuerJeden #EURO2016 pic.twitter.com/GfH9kCVzVX
— germanfootball_dfb (@DFB_Team_EN) June 28, 2016
Here are larger versions of those other photos:
Germany supporters might feel more comfortable with their players practicing actual soccer ahead of their next match, but it is hard to argue with Low’s methods based on the squad’s recent run of success. As long as the team continues to get optimal results on the field, it really does not matter much how they get ready for matches, and cross-training has proven quite useful for many different athletes.
Still, Saturday’s match is an especially significant one given Germany’s abysmal history against the Italians in international play. Die Mannschaft has never beaten the Azzurri in the knockout rounds of either the European Championship or the World Cup, including defeats in the 1970 World Cup semi-finals, the 1982 World Cup final, the 2006 World Cup semi-final, and a Euro 2012 semi-final.
Time will tell if volleyball is the missing ingredient to success after all these years.
