Shortly before the 2024 European Championship: The last German European Championship winners from 1996 visit Europa-Park – and hand over the baton.
Shortly before the start of the European Championships at home, the last German European champions gathered for an excursion. Players and coaches from the German squad that won the European Championship title in England in 1996 visited Europa-Park. The then national coach Berti Vogts (77) and his assistant coach Rainer Bonhof (72) were there.
Of the players, the then captain Jürgen Klinsmann (59) came to Rust in Baden-Württemberg. At his side, Fredi Bobic (52), Andreas Köpke (62), Steffen Freund (54), Stefan Kuntz (61) and Thomas Häßler (58) strolled through Germany’s largest amusement park. The coach of the 1996 squad was also invited.
The program included a gala evening in honor of the European champions. Klinsmann and co. strolled through the park and rode the alpine roller coaster “Enzian.” They also visited the new Croatia theme area. The German team had actually beaten the country from the Balkan peninsula at the European Championships. Germany won the quarter-finals 2:1. On June 30, 1996, Jürgen Klinsmann raised the European Championship trophy to the sky after a victory over the Czech Republic at Wembley Stadium.
“Now it’s your turn”
During the visit, the former European champions symbolically handed over the baton to the current squad for the home European Championship. They unveiled a banner with the two years 1996 and 2024. “Now it’s your turn!” is written between the numbers.
Incidentally, it was not the first trip to Europa-Park for the class of ’96. In 2021, those involved celebrated the 25th anniversary of the title win in Rust. Berti Vogts and Jürgen Klinsmann also led the delegation three years ago.
Source: Stern
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