Many were over the moon after Germany’s World Cup win, but none were as close to it as Alexander Gerst, who spent almost half of the year in the International Space Station (ISS). He’s been in outer space, orbiting the Earth almost 2,500 times and carrying out around 100 experiments. Gerst was a long way away, but he was as close to the World Cup action as anyone else. The football itself was out of this world though…
A diving save is a piece of cake for Alexander Gerst. He elegantly glides through the air, as horizontally as an arrow fired from a bow. He doesn’t have to worry about the landing though. He keeps on going, slower than your usual Manuel Neuer dive, granted. But he still has the ball safely in his grasp before the wall at the other side of the room stops his drift. That’s what free time on the ISS looks like. Football still works in space. Bicycle kicks are a breeze and there’s no better feeling for a goalkeeper than diving for a ball and knowing you’ll get there no matter what.
Gerst became the eleventh German person to go into space and the 38-year-old’s mission was rather influenced by football – from mid-June to mid-July at least. When Gerst arrived at the ISS in May, the crew sent a request to the control centre asking them to show Germany’s, USA’s and Russia’s World Cup games. “We’re really looking forward it,” said Gerst, who only revealed his tip for the title indirectly: “I’m confident that the best team will win. But you can no doubt work out who my heart beats for.”
Wager for Germany vs. USA
The working days on the ISS were long, but the crew managed to take some time for a “galactic viewing” of the World Cup action. They were able to watch 20 minutes of the first group game against Portugal and “Astro Alex” saw a Germany win. “Congratulations to the DFB-Team!” he tweeted. They followed the action on a laptop, but they couldn’t have a beer or cola with the game – fizzy drinks and weightlessness don’t go together. Tea and juice was all that was on the menu, but at least they still got to watch the football 250 miles above the Earth.
There were more tense matches ahead though. The 2-2 draw against Ghana and then of course the decisive meeting with the USA. It was a special game: Löw against Klinsmann, Gerst against fellow astronauts Wiseman and Swanson. If the United States won, they were allowed to paint a US flag on his head. If Germany came out on top, the Americans would get the “Gerst haircut”, a skinhead. Thomas Müller’s goal made sure that his fellow countryman spent a few minutes as a barber in outer space. He didn’t use conventional clippers though. It was more of a shaving vacuum cleaner, otherwise the hair would have floated all around the space station. The US boys took it in good humour. “It was nice to wake up this morning and not have to worry about my hair,” said Reid Wiseman. “There isn’t any!”
A home-made fourth star
There were no more bets after that. The Russians exited at the group stage, while USA failed to get beyond the last 16. Gerst and the Germans remained. On the day of the final, he tweeted: “Great achievement by the DFB-Team. If Germany win, I will dedicate the next eleven orbits to the team!” Hundreds of millions watched the big game against Argentina back on Earth and Gerst was crossing his fingers in space. In the end, he was able to celebrate victory too, and the astronaut was prepared. After the game, he posted a picture of himself in a Germany kit with a home-made fourth star stuck on. “Congrats from the ISS on a top performance,” he wrote underneath the photo. “As experts when it comes to stars, we’ve sorted an extra one already.” The best team won, the one that his heart beats for. It was the perfect ending.
The German World Cup mission was a success, while Gerst’s personal one carried on for another four months. On 10th November, he landed back on Earth, healthy and happy – and as a World Champion.
