The national team is playing in Bosnia for the second time. The premiere in 2002 was strange. At that time, today’s DFB sports director Völler was there as team boss.
When returning to Bosnia-Herzegovina, DFB sports director Rudi Völler brings back special football memories. 22 years ago, at the German national team’s first game against Bosnia’s selection in Sarajevo, Völler was there as DFB team boss. And the now 64-year-old experienced an unforgettable journey.
The vice world champion’s planned short trip to the Bosnian capital began in October 2002 with a visit by the then German SFOR soldiers. And after a 1-1 draw with two red cards in the Bosnian rain, it went into extra time because the return flight at night had to be canceled.
Troop visit and canceled return flight
But first things first. After arriving, Völler and the team led by Captain Oliver Kahn first met around 200 German SFOR soldiers in the Rajlovac field camp. A few years after the Balkan War, the international match was also a political mission. On the journey from the airport to downtown Sarajevo, the national players could see the many bullet holes in the buildings from the team bus. In between there were green strips that were mined. Signs warned against entering.
Helicopter operation saves kick-off
After persistent rain turned the grass in the Olympic Stadium in Sarajevo into a lake landscape, the game was about to be canceled a few hours before kick-off. Two Bundeswehr helicopters were finally used, which used the wind from the rotor blades to push the water masses away from the pitch just above the lawn.
The game finally kicked off in front of just 5,000 spectators, including hundreds of German soldiers. Völler’s team quickly fell behind. Christian Wörns and the Bosnian Hasan Salihamidzic, who was playing for FC Bayern at the time, were each shown a red card after a skirmish. Carsten Janker equalized at ten against ten.
What is Völler experiencing in Zenica this time?
After the 1-1 score, the DFB entourage rushed to the airport. The return flight to Germany was planned for 12:15 a.m., but the scheduled charter plane did not even land at the airport in the Bosnian capital. The pilot turned away due to unfavorable weather conditions and flew towards Italy. Völler and his players had to go back to the team hotel in Sarajevo and were only able to fly to Hanover the day after the game.
Let’s see what Völler experiences as sports director this time in Zenica, where the national team under national coach Julian Nagelsmann will compete for Nations League points against Bosnia-Herzegovina this evening (8.45 p.m./RTL).
Source: Stern
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