Today the ball will be flying again – and this time the German team will be up against the United States. This decisive game in the first round takes place in Recife, meaning that the German players and their entourage had to travel about 1400 kilometres to get there. The issue of the great distances that need to be covered in Brazil is something team manager Oliver Bierhoff has had to consider all along – with his faithful Leica X Vario he has managed to capture an impression of the country’s great size.
“When I was actually playing football myself, I had the chance to play with some of Brazil’s national team. Because of the World Cup, however, Brazil as a country has been taking up all my attention over the past two years. The atmosphere here is very special, and the size and diversity is truly impressive,” the German team manager says, explaining his relationship to the World Cup host country.
The German team is based at the luxurious resort of Campo Bahia for the duration of the tournament. Close to the remote coastal village of Santo André, the choice of location was not only due to the breathtaking landscape: from Campo Bahia there are good connections for the German players to reach all their games – which is not a given in a country so large that it includes four time zones!
Campo Bahia by Santo André is located on a stretch of land along the coast, separated from the mainland by the river João de Tiba: the only way to get to the closest airport in Porto Seguro is to take a car and a ferry.
The Germans set out for Recife and today’s game against the USA in a timely manner, in order to get acclimatized, to get a feel for the place, and to start warming up for the coming challenge.

National trainer Joachim Löw boarding the ferry. The German delegation has to cross the river Rio João de Tiba to reach the team resort in Santo André.

The ferry that carries cars and people across the river.

Sweet water and salt water, the chance to take a refreshing swim in the river or in the sea: the coastal village of Santo André has something for everybody.

Bem-vindo ao Brasil: the German team’s headquarters in Santo André.

Assistant trainer Hansi Flick waiting for a replacement car on the highway to Sao Paulo after suffering a breakdown.

After the breakdown, national trainer Joachim Löw didn’t want to wait for the replacement car, so he decided to head off on foot.

Today the German team plays again the United States – the outcome will decide who moves on to the next round.
– Katrin Iwanczuk
Katrin Iwanczuk is the editor of LFI. Read part 1 and part 2 here.