Joachim Löw made his professional debut as a player and coach with VfB Stuttgart, winning the DFB Cup in 1997. He has remained closely connected to the Cannstatt club in the intervening years, so who better to act as VfB’s ambassador for this year’s DFB Cup final at Berlin’s Olympiastadion on 24 May? The 2014 World Cup winner not only follows the team’s progress, but is still very close to the club as a member of the VfB Foundation’s board of trustees.
At the ‘Cup Handover’ event on Monday, Löw spoke about…
… his association with VfB: “I associate a lot with VfB. I played my first Bundesliga match for VfB when I was 19 years old. I’d moved to Stuttgart from SC Freiburg at the time. I also made my debut as a first-team coach for VfB. Those are all really special memories which helped me greatly in the rest of my career. I’m still involved in the VfB Foundation today as a member of the board of trustees. VfB are firmly in my heart.”
… his 1997 DFB Cup success with VfB: “Every DFB Cup final has its own story. Our path in the competition that season was very demanding: we went through in extra time on a number of occasions, and they were tight and hard-fought games. The final against Energie Cottbus, who were in the third division at the time, was our easiest match-up on paper – and our team really took it on with complete confidence, determination and conviction from the start. The 2-0 win was a very special moment and a great success with VfB.”
… the days and hours leading up to kick-off: “A final – not just in the DFB Cup but in general – combines so many emotions, wishes, dreams and hopes. It’s something extraordinary. Of course, there’s great tension around these big matches, every player handles it differently. That tension can really be felt from when you arrive in Berlin, and the concentration increases hour by hour. When the whistle blows, it’s almost a relief for everyone involved. Playing a final doesn’t just mean giving everything, but also soaking everything up.”
… VfB’s season: “Expectations were extremely high after finishing second last season. On top of that, the extra strain of another competition was a new issue for the team. I’ve enjoyed watching VfB a lot again this season. That’s very much to do with Sebastian Hoeneß as head coach – I like VfB’s style of play. The team has its own identity again, lots of players are improving. The whole club is going in the right direction and that just benefits the region.”