Kaiser to Visit Pope for Divine Guidance?
October 25, 2005
The German national soccer team's recent slew of mediocre results in their preparation games ahead of the World Cup in 2006 are really causing concern for the host country.
With public denunciations of coach Jürgen Klinsmann's ability to lead Germany to glory rife over the past few months, those who have a vested interest in seeing the hosts do well are doing everything in their power to summon help.
Germany looking for some help from above
First it was announced that the German team would have its own priest during the soccer spectacle and that special church services would be arranged during the World Cup for fans to offer their prayers of hope. Now, Franz Beckenbauer, the head of the German Organizing Committee (OK), is heading to the Vatican for an audience with Pope Benedict XVI.
Although the meeting with the pontiff is being included in Beckenbauer's World Cup welcome tour, many detractors of the German team and their chances may see it as a chance for the concerned chairman to call on some divine intervention from a very connected source.
"Der Kaiser," as Beckenbauer is known, has already visited Tehran, Riyadh, Seoul and Tokyo as part of the tour that will eventually see him visit all 32 countries that have qualified for the World Cup by February 2006.
Vatican visit arranged after Turkey, China debacles
Conspiracy theorists may read much into the fact that the audience has been hastily organized; Germany lost to Turkey and just squeezed past China in friendly games this month.
"Our request to the Vatican to meet the Holy Father was made quite late," admitted Beckenbauer. "For that reason we are delighted and grateful that this meeting is now possible."
It is unlikely that any plea for a word in Germany's favor from the pope will be made public after Beckenbauer, OK vice-president Wolfgang Niersbach, advisor Fedor H. Radmann and Germany's former coach Rudi Völler depart from the Vatican.
But a reversal of the team's fortunes after the visit may cause some to look to the heavens and offer thanks.