Since the 4-0 victory against Portugal, it seems like the whole of Germany has now surrendered to World Cup fever. Tomorrow the German team will be facing their second opponent in the preliminary round: Ghana. Until they hit the pitch, however, the players and their entourage are enjoying optimal conditions for training and relaxation at the team resort of Campo Bahia. With his trusty Leica X Vario, team manager Oliver Bierhoff has been capturing impressions of the resort and its surroundings – everything from football pitches and coastal villages, to delightfully empty sandy beaches.
Of the 32 teams participating in the 2014 Football World Cup, Germany is the only one not staying at pre-existing accommodations. Built especially for the German National Football Team, the camp lies close to the remote coastal village of Santo André. With its palm trees and sandy beaches, the area is very popular with celebrities looking for a quiet get-away, far from the busy tourist towns. But the choice of location was not due exclusively to the breathtaking landscape; the resort is well connected to all the venues where the German team will be playing its preliminary games – no mean feat in a country so large that it includes four time zones!
The luxurious accommodation for the footballers and their attendants was built in half a year and has a training field within view. For team manager Oliver Bierhoff there is one spot, however, where he feels particularly at ease:
“My favourite place at Campo Bahia is the “Marktplatz” (Market Square) in the centre. This is where we all eat together, and from here I have a good view of everything, and I can watch the players in their houses, at the bar or in the pool.”
For better team building the players are accommodated in groups, making the situation optimal for connecting with each other. At the same time, the 15,000 square metres resort offers plenty of space for quiet and relaxation before the referee’s whistle marks the kick-off against Ghana.

Relaxation in a tasteful atmosphere – the accommodation for the German National Team leaves no wish unattended.

One of the rooms at Campo Bahia. To strengthen the team spirit, players are accommodated in groups.

15,000 square metres offer enough space for quiet and relaxation – as well as the chance for the whole team to get together.

The ferry dock in Santo André. To reach the different locations for their preliminary games from Campo Bahia, the team first has to cross the mouth of a little river where it flows into the Atlantic Ocean.

Reconnoitring Campo Bahia and its surroundings: the goal post at the Swiss National Team’s training pitch in Porto Seguro before it had been renovated.

The endless stretches of sand at Campo Bahia invite beach-goers to relax and linger.

National trainer Jogi Löw and his assistant Hans-Dieter Flick during a visit to one of the training stadiums.

Training in the late afternoon sun – on Saturday 11 German players will face the team from Ghana.
– Katrin Iwanczuk
Katrin Iwanczuk is the editor of LFI.