BERLIN: Germans bas­ked in World Cup glory again here on Monday when the national team were honoured before attending the premiere of the official movie about their victory in Brazil in July.

President Joachim Gauck, joined by Chancellor Angela Merkel, awarded the players with the Silver Laurel Leaf, the country’s highest sports award for what was Germa­ny’s fourth World Cup crown.

“All of us in Germany felt as if we were world champions,” Gauck told the players before they received their awards. “We can be happy that no one is envying our title and world is happy with us.”

Germany lifted the trophy after beating Argentina 1-0 in extra-time in the final following their historic 7-1 demolition of hosts Brazil in the semis.

BERLIN: FIFA president Joseph Blatter hands over the FIFA World Cup Champions Badge to Philipp Lahm.—Reuters

“Many of us are not here for the first time,” World Cup-winning captain Philipp Lahm said in his address at Bellevue Palace. “But it is something special to have brought the trophy with us this time.”

The 21 players, with Andre Schuerrle and Julian Draxler missing, and coaches were then whisked off to another red-carpet occasion as the city celebrated 25 years since the fall of the Berlin Wall which eventually led to Germany’s reunification.

They attended the premiere of the “The Team”, the movie detailing their run to the world title with inside glimpses into how the team lived the experience.

Revenues from the movie will be used for charitable projects, the German Football Association (DFB) said.

Published in Dawn, November 12th, 2014