In an interview with Bild-Zeitung, German Football Association (DFB) vice-president Jürgen Watzke commented on Germany's performance at the Euros, refereeing penalties, and the prospects of Spain and England winning the tournament.
First of all, Watzke is optimistic about Germany's performance, believing that the German team has returned to the top of the world soccer world. Although they failed to qualify for the quarterfinals of this year's European Cup, Watzke believes that this was mainly due to their encounter with a strong Spanish team in the quarterfinals. He encouraged the team and fans not to be discouraged by this, but rather to see the progress and potential of the team and prepare for future matches.
Watzke then questioned a key call in overtime. He argued that referee Anthony Taylor's handball call on Spanish player Cucurelia was unreasonable, noting that the players saw the play, but the referee chose not to look at the replay. Watzke believes that referees should be held accountable for their decisions, as such calls can have a major impact on the outcome of a match.
Speaking about the Spanish team, Watzke acknowledged that they are one of the favorites to win the championship. He believes that the Spanish team works well as a team and has a lot of strong players, especially Rodney who has performed well in this year's tournament. He also spoke highly of the young players in the Spanish forward line, saying they have great potential.
However, Watzke did not ignore the strength of the England team. He mentioned that former Borussia Dortmund player Bellingham will have a chance to win the Ballon d'Or if England finally wins the championship. This shows Watzke's recognition of England's strength and Bellingham's individual ability.
