.png)
Featured Image Credit: Getty
Topics: Racism, Euro 2024, Germany, Julian Nagelsmann, Joshua Kimmich, Football
Rory O'Callaghan
Topics: Racism, Euro 2024, Germany, Julian Nagelsmann, Joshua Kimmich, Football
Germany head coach Julian Nagelsmann has branded a survey conducted by a national broadcaster ahead of Euro 2024 as "racist".
Germany are preparing to host this summer's tournament, which gets underway on June 14.
The host nation face Scotland in their opening match but first face Ukraine and Greece in warm-up games ahead of the tournament.
Advert
There has been controversy in the build-up to the Ukraine match after Germany's public broadcaster ARD conducted a survey around race and the national team.
A survey of 1304 people by ARD found that 21 per cent would prefer more players with white skin playing for Germany.
Nagelsmann said he was "shocked" that the survey had been organised just days before the start of the tournament.
Advert
"We're playing a European Championship for everyone in the country", said Nagelsmann (via EuroNews) before adding that the survey was "racist… I feel that we need to wake up."
Nagelsmann's comments come after Germany midfielder Joshua Kimmich slammed the survey as "absolutely racist" on Saturday.
"Anyone who's grown up with football knows this is absolute nonsense," said Kimmich.
"Football in particular is a good example of how you can unite different nations, different skin colours and different religions."
Advert
The poll was commissioned for ARD's upcoming documentary 'Unity and Justice and Diversity', which will be broadcast on Wednesday.
The documentary features several current and former Germany players, detailing their experience of racism in the country's football stadiums.
While 21 per cent of people surveyed said they would prefer more white players in the national side, 65 per cent said they did not agree or tended to not agree with the survey's statement.
Advert
Germany take on Ukraine in Nuremberg in a warm-up game on Monday, before playing Greece in Monchengladbach on Friday.
They will then face Scotland in their opening game of the Euros in Munich on June 14 before further group matches against Hungary in Stuttgart on June 19 and Switzerland in Frankfurt on June 23.