The BBC reports that Germany's interior minister has criticised the UK tabloids for their offensive references to the war in much of the coverage leading up to today's England v Germany clash:
Thomas de Maiziere said: "I don't know who needs it, we definitely don't. This is a thing of the past, doesn't help in the present and future and we should just ignore it."
...the German press had not ignored the challenge and instead had been fighting back. Saturday's edition of German tabloid Bild dismissed the England players as "yobs" whose behaviour is questionable.
It hardly compares does it? Our tabloids are referring to a war which ended 65 years ago (average age of the German squad, just 25), while Bild may slightly less erroneously be referencing a long list of arguably "yobbish" misdemeanours committed by the current England squad and recorded for posterity by several courts and police forces across the land.
Sadly, in the worlds of football and media, England surrendered its right to the moral high ground a long time ago. That doesn't mean I don't want us to thump Germany 5-0... I just won't be whistling the Dambusters theme tune if we do.
See also:
England v Ze Germans!! ...how to be a tabloid editor in 10 easy steps
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