Manila Arm in arm, Germany’s basketball heroes exuberantly sang the national anthem, captain Dennis Schröder had tears in his eyes. The outstanding NBA professional then accepted the World Cup trophy at 11:03 p.m. local time.
The rest was pure joy in the golden confetti shower! Led by the seemingly unleashed Schröder, national coach Gordon Herbert’s team beat Serbia in a thrilling final on Sunday in Manila with 83:77 (47:47), thus pulling off one of the biggest surprises in German sports history.
It was the unimaginable culmination of an unforgettable basketball summer in which Schröder, who was often criticized in the past, especially in Germany, was finally crowned German basketball king. “I’ve been here for ten years now. Bronze at the European Championships last year, now the World Cup title – I don’t want to hear anything about my name anymore,” said Schröder with the basket net around his neck after the biggest triumph of his career to date. “I just want respect. That was a statement.”
After leading the German team to the greatest success in German basketball history, Schröder hugged his wife Eileen and their children on the floor. National coach Herbert, on the other hand, sat on the floor in the catacombs completely drained. At the award ceremony, the successful Canadian coach was back to his strength and gave his heart to each of his players.
“The first thing I did during my term was go to Braunschweig and meet Dennis. We talked for three or four hours. That was the beginning,” said Herbert.
Before the award ceremony, national coach Herbert sat on the floor in the catacombs, completely drained.
(Photo: IMAGO/camera4+)
“World Champion! Sensational, historic and so deserved. Congratulations,” wrote Chancellor Olaf Scholz on X, formerly Twitter. “World Champion!!! Incomprehensible! What a team!!!!!,” wrote Dirk Nowitzki a few seconds after the end of the game. Even the now retired German basketball icon couldn’t achieve something like that in her career.
Germany’s basketball players remained unbeaten throughout the tournament and completed perfect weeks in Asia with their historic first World Cup title. “It sounds incredible. How we did it against the strongest teams in the world. World champion!” said Schröder. “It’s definitely a celebration now.”
The team will be welcomed in Frankfurt on Tuesday
The gold medal winners will only fly back to Germany via Abu Dhabi on Monday evening, where there will be a reception in Frankfurt am Main on Tuesday morning. “It’s almost a bit of a shame that the tournament is now over,” said Johannes Voigtmann, who was extremely strong in the final.
Schröder shone with 28 points and took complete command in the final phase. The always aggressive young star Franz Wagner scored 19 points in a heated duel with former national coach Svetislav Pesic and was named the best player of the final. Schröder was voted the most valuable professional of the entire tournament – what German basketball dominance!
The German captain led coach Gordon Herbert’s team to the World Cup title.
(Photo: IMAGO/camera4+)
Manila’s gold coup is the second international title after the 1993 European Championship. After eight wins from eight games for the next four years up to the 2027 World Cup in Qatar, the golden Naismith Trophy is well deserved in Germany. The 74-year-old Pesic was not granted a second World Cup title as head coach after 2002. “Better Germany than all the other teams,” said the veteran coach.
With the memorable 113:111 over Olympic champion USA in the semifinals, the hype had become increasingly intense in the last few days. While the US professionals also lost bronze against Canada (118:127 after extra time) on Sunday, ZDF broadcast the final live in Germany. Chancellor Olaf Scholz had also been aware of what was happening with Schröder and Co. since Friday at the latest.
“You deserve it!” Scholz wrote before the game started. A good two hours later, which turned into a big fight against physical Serbs in front of 12,022 spectators in the sold-out Mall of Asia Arena, the historic success was perfect. The first German World Cup title came exactly eight years after Nowitzki’s last international match. And around four years after the debacle in China, which ended with a devastating 18th place after being eliminated in the preliminary round against the Dominican Republic.
Despite the tough Serbian defense, they won the title
The atmosphere in the modern arena in the Philippines was sparkling. And the Serbian fans, who were also expecting tennis superstar Novak Djokovic’s US Open final on Super Sports Sunday, started shouting “goodbye” in German early on. Even without the sidelined NBA star Nikola Jokic, their team proved to be the tough opponent Germany had expected.
In contrast to the sloppy US stars, the Serbs played tough defense. “Pesic defense,” as Herbert warned. In the attack, the Serbs made two three-point throws with Brett, and the lead changed back and forth. And Germany accepted the challenge with a change of strategy. Instead of playmaker Schröder, the ball kept going to the 22-year-old Wagner, who wanted to seize the game on the very largest stage in the early stages.
The German NBA star was voted the best player of the final.
(Photo: IMAGO/camera4+)
The young star picked up the pace, moved energetically to the basket and again had a few verbal arguments with the referees. After a balanced first half, the two German stars Schröder and Wagner each had 14 points. The final remained contested. Germany pulled away for the first time in the third quarter, but Serbia came back. “This is torture,” said Moritz Wagner about the exciting final phase, which he watched from the bench.
Leader Schröder drew the game more and more into himself. With his enormous speed and great determination, the playmaker tried to finally crown his almost nine-year career in the national jersey. “I’m trying to put basketball Germany on the map,” Schröder said. This was achieved in an outstanding manner with the World Cup title in Manila. For football star Toni Kroos it is already clear: “Dennis athlete of the year! No discussion necessary!”
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