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When Germany hosts the European Championship in 2024, the tournament atmosphere may sap away a true home advantage. With millions of immigrants from across Europe now calling Germany home, the stands will be filled with passionate fans cheering on their home countries despite the games taking place on German soil.
Germany is home to a staggering 16.4 million people who were born outside the country – over 20% of the total population. This incredibly diverse populace means the 2024 Euros will take on the air of a virtual home tournament for many teams beyond just the hosts.
Turkish Delight in the Stands
The largest immigrant community in Germany is from Turkey, with around 2.9 million people of Turkish descent now residing in the country. The Turkish national team can expect raucous support at their group games in Dortmund and Hamburg.
“Turkey will have a home field atmosphere at the Euros,” said Turkey midfielder Salih Özcan. “You could already see what can happen in Berlin during the game against Germany in November. That was a little foretaste, I’d say.”
Tens of thousands of Turkish fans turned out for that November friendly win over Germany. With several players like Özcan, Kaan Ayhan, and Hakan Çalhanoğlu hailing from German cities, it will be a homecoming of sorts for the Turkish side.
A Polish Merseyside on the Rhine?
The second largest immigrant group in Germany is from Poland, with over 880,000 Polish citizens calling Germany home. Beyond that, experts estimate the total number of ethnic Poles at 2-3 million when factoring in multi-generational German residents.
With large Polish communities established in the Ruhr Valley cities like Dortmund, Gelsenkirchen, and Bochum, games involving the Polish national team may have an unmistakable ‘home’ feel despite being hosted in Germany.
An Adriatic Homecoming
Rounding out the top immigrant communities are Italians, Romanians, and Croats – the 3rd, 4th, and 6th…
Source link : https://worldsoccertalk.com/uefa-euro/germany-to-struggle-for-true-home-advantage-in-diverse-euro-2024/
Author : Ed Perovic
Publish date : 2024-06-14 13:00:00
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