by Bakir Tiro
SARAJEVO / MUNICH (AA) - Karl-Heinz Rummenigge, one of the best football players ever, believes that the Bosnian national football team deserves to participate at the 2014 World Cup in Brazil.
“Bosnian team plays European football, and that is – as well as South American – one of the best in the world today. The Bosnian team has a chance to qualify for the second phase of the Championship, and then, everything will be possible,” Rummenigge said adding that the German team has the biggest chance to triumph in Brazil.
“It will be no easy in South America for players from Europe. It is huge time difference; games will be played in cities that are far away from one another, and the conditions they will play in are not those easy. Among other things, one of the difficulties is that the grass in Brazil is higher than usually in football fields, and that creates additional pressure. When I was active player we used to say we are playing in the jungle every time we go to any of the South American countries. And, it will not be easy for any European team to play in Brazilian jungle.”
Rummenigge also said that people in Germany do expect from their team to bring them a trophy from Brazil.
“People in Germany are hungry for big victories of our national teams,” he said.
He also commented on the European Championship 2020 that will be played in several European countries, in 13 different cities.
“It is a very interesting idea that will unite European football. I hope the finals will be played in Munich. To my knowledge, this idea will be implemented only in 2020, and the next European championship, the one in 2014, will be made in the old way,” Rummenigge told AA.
Rummenigge spoke about his team – Bayern Munich saying that he hopes they can win the next Championship League.
“It will be extremely hard to win again. However, we are not under the pressure. We feel relaxed with Joseph Guardiola. We have a good team. And we are not arrogant when saying that we will fight hard to win a Championship again, as well as to take as many trophies we can in the next season,” Rummenigge said adding that the biggest rivals for Bayern now are Chelsea, Arsenal, Manchester United, Barcelona and Real Madrid, as well as Paris Saint Germaine.
One of the things that make Bayern strong this year is a new coach, Joseph Guardiola.
“I believe he is the best coach for Bayern now, and he believes our team is the place where he should be now. He has a clear plan and new tactic. We were a bit skeptical about all that at the beginning, but now, we see Bayern playing a very good football.”
Rumennigge was a football striker, one of the best in the world. With Bayern Munich he won the Intercontinental Cup, and the European Cup, as well as two league titles and two domestic cups. He also played for the German national team in 1980 when they won the European Championship.
Twice in his career he was honored with the title of the European Footballer of the Year.
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