Bundeskanzler Friedrich Merz (CDU) greeted the German handball team personally in the locker room after their loss in the European Championship final. On Sunday evening the Bundes‑Pressestelle released photographs of the chancellor talking individually with head coach Alfred Gislason and players Julian Köster, Miro Schluroff and Andreas Wolff, as well as a group portrait with the squad.
Merz had attended the final in Herning, Denmark, where he watched the match against the hosts from the tribute stand, accompanied by Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen. Earlier, government spokesperson Stefan Kornelius had said on Friday that the chancellor would receive “intensive” briefings about the German team’s games. “I have seen him as very handball‑fanatic in recent days” Kornelius added.
