Former captain of Bayern Munich and the German national team Philipp Lahm has shared his thoughts on the impact of the World Cups held in Russia and Qatar on Europe.
When the World Cups were awarded to Russia and Qatar, Europe suffered a bit. That’s why it was important to hold competitions in Europe, in democratic countries. We saw what football and sports can do.
Philipp Lahm for Bayerischer Rundfunk
According to the former footballer, Germany hosted an excellent European Championship in 2024. This event united people across the continent.
The 2018 World Cup took place in Russia during the summer, with France winning after defeating Croatia in the final. Germany finished last in their group with Sweden, Mexico, and South Korea.
The tournament in Qatar happened at the end of 2022, with Argentina winning for the third time in history. The Germans were unable to advance from their group, which included Japan, Spain, and Costa Rica, finishing in third place.
The 2024 European Championship was held in Germany last summer, where the German team lost to Spain in the quarterfinals, with Spain ultimately being crowned the Euro champions.