Soccer players ‘true god’ for one in five Germans

HANOVER, Germany — An Internet survey conducted by the Protestant churches in Germany revealed that one in five Germans say soccer players are their true gods. Europe’s Idea News Agency reported that 75 percent of the 2,000 responses to the survey on the church’s Web site answered “No” to the question, “Are soccer players our true Gods?” But a troubling 20 percent answered “Yes.” According to Idea, soccer fever was running high in Germany as the national team faced Brazil in the World Cup final June 30. But high-ranking German church official Valentin Schmidt declared, “There is only one God, and he is God also for the Kahns and Kloses of this world.” Idea explained that Schmidt was referring to Oliver Kahn and Miroslav Klose, two of the top players on the German squad. Germany fell short in the World Cup championship, as Brazil won the match 2–0.