The Germany national team have been voted Team of the Year at the Laureus Sports Awards in Shanghai. Joachim Löw’s side, who won the World Cup in Brazil last summer, were chosen ahead of a number of other candidates, including the Mercedes Formula 1 team, which is made up of World Champion Lewis Hamilton and last year’s runner-up Nico Rosberg from Germany.
First team caretaker Oliver Bierhoff was handed the award by Russia manager Fabio Capello. “Most of you would have rather seen Bastian Schweinsteiger, Manuel Neuer or Mario Götze,” said Bierhoff with a smile. “Unfortunately they’re playing in the Champions League tonight so you’ll have to put up with me.”
Bierhoff: “Winning the World Cup was a ten year project”
Bierhoff said there were two reasons behind the honour of picking up the award: “Firstly, because the champions that voted for the award know how much hard work goes into the success. And secondly the fact that it is an international award shows that we are good ambassadors for Germany.”
“For some of us – Jogi Löw, myself and a lot of the players – winning the World Cup was a ten year project. We’ve been been together waiting for this moment since 2004.You could see from Bastian Schweinsteiger’s knock in the final that the players wouldn’t have wanted to take a prize over winning the title,” said Bierhoff to DFB.de.
Germany follow in Bayern München’s footsteps
This is the second time that a German team has won the award since the Laureus Awards began back in 2000. Last year, the award went to Bayern München, meaning World Champions Manuel Neuer, Jerome Boateng, Philipp Lahm, Toni Kroos (now at Real Madrid), Bastian Schweinsteiger, Thomas Müller and Mario Götze have picked up the award for the second year running.
The DFB Team were chosen ahead of the Mercedes Team, the European Ryder Cup team, Champions League winners Real Madrid, NBA champions San Antonio Spurs and the Swiss Davis Cup team, which included Roger Federer.
Mario Götze wasn’t successful in the Breakthrough of the Year category. The 22-year-old Germany international, who scored the winning goal in the 113th minute during World Cup final against Argentina, was beaten by Formula 1 driver Daniel Ricciardo. The Australian finished higher than Red Bull teammate and former World Champion Sebastian Vettel in the standings and was the only driver not to drive for Mercedes that won a race in the 2014 championships (three).
Future Laureus Awards: “Berlin would be very alluring”
Ethiopian long-distance runner Genzebe Dibaba received the Laureus Award for Sportswoman of the Year. Last year, the 24-year-old broke the indoor world records over 1500, 3000 and 5000 metres in the space of two weeks in Karlsruhe and Stockholm. She was chosen ahead of discus world champion Valerie Adams (New Zealand), Norwegian long-distance record world champion Marit Björgen, double Olympic champion in alpine skiing Tina Maze (Slovenia) and tennis grand slam champions Serena Williams (USA) and Li Na (China).
The Germany national team have been voted Team of the Year at the Laureus Sports Awards in Shanghai. Joachim Löw’s side, who won the World Cup in Brazil last summer, were chosen ahead of a number of other candidates, including the Mercedes Formula 1 team, which is made up of World Champion Lewis Hamilton and last year’s runner-up Nico Rosberg from Germany.
First team caretaker Oliver Bierhoff was handed the award by Russia manager Fabio Capello. “Most of you would have rather seen Bastian Schweinsteiger, Manuel Neuer or Mario Götze,” said Bierhoff with a smile. “Unfortunately they’re playing in the Champions League tonight so you’ll have to put up with me.”
Bierhoff: “Winning the World Cup was a ten year project”
Bierhoff said there were two reasons behind the honour of picking up the award: “Firstly, because the champions that voted for the award know how much hard work goes into the success. And secondly the fact that it is an international award shows that we are good ambassadors for Germany.”
“For some of us – Jogi Löw, myself and a lot of the players – winning the World Cup was a ten year project. We’ve been been together waiting for this moment since 2004.You could see from Bastian Schweinsteiger’s knock in the final that the players wouldn’t have wanted to take a prize over winning the title,” said Bierhoff to DFB.de.
Germany follow in Bayern München’s footsteps
This is the second time that a German team has won the award since the Laureus Awards began back in 2000. Last year, the award went to Bayern München, meaning World Champions Manuel Neuer, Jerome Boateng, Philipp Lahm, Toni Kroos (now at Real Madrid), Bastian Schweinsteiger, Thomas Müller and Mario Götze have picked up the award for the second year running.
The DFB Team were chosen ahead of the Mercedes Team, the European Ryder Cup team, Champions League winners Real Madrid, NBA champions San Antonio Spurs and the Swiss Davis Cup team, which included Roger Federer.
Mario Götze wasn’t successful in the Breakthrough of the Year category. The 22-year-old Germany international, who scored the winning goal in the 113th minute during World Cup final against Argentina, was beaten by Formula 1 driver Daniel Ricciardo. The Australian finished higher than Red Bull teammate and former World Champion Sebastian Vettel in the standings and was the only driver not to drive for Mercedes that won a race in the 2014 championships (three).
Future Laureus Awards: “Berlin would be very alluring”
Ethiopian long-distance runner Genzebe Dibaba received the Laureus Award for Sportswoman of the Year. Last year, the 24-year-old broke the indoor world records over 1500, 3000 and 5000 metres in the space of two weeks in Karlsruhe and Stockholm. She was chosen ahead of discus world champion Valerie Adams (New Zealand), Norwegian long-distance record world champion Marit Björgen, double Olympic champion in alpine skiing Tina Maze (Slovenia) and tennis grand slam champions Serena Williams (USA) and Li Na (China).
However, Li Na did come away with the award for Exceptional Achievement in Shanghai. She is the second recipient of this award after swimmer and record Olympic champion Michael Phelps (USA).
None of the 16 Laureus Awards ceremonies have taken place in Germany. However, that should change “within the next three years” and according to Mercedes Head of Marketing Jens Thiemer: “Berlin would be very alluring.”
