Cologne coach Steffen Baumgart has commented on the events surrounding the German national team at the World Cup in Qatar.

Bundesliga coach Steffen Baumgart complains that from a German perspective, there was too much talk about politics at the World Cup. “We should stop instrumentalising players. We athletes should not let ourselves be harnessed to the cart. That doesn’t mean we shouldn’t take a stance,” the head coach of 1. FC Köln told the “Kölnische Rundschau” (Friday).

Moreover, he said, support in the country for the DFB team had not been particularly strong. “I have never seen a country stand so little behind its national team as is the case with us. That is very sad and makes me think,” Baumgart said.

As far as the sporting level is concerned, football has become very close and has developed further, he said. “It should be recognised that there is now good training and playing all over the world,” said the 50-year-old. Europe is not the centre of the football world, Baumgart found.

At the World Cup in Qatar, political issues such as the discussion about the “One Love” captain’s armband had at times overshadowed the sporting events. The German Football Association and other European national associations wanted to use the multicoloured armband as a symbol for diversity and against discrimination. However, the world governing body FIFA prohibited this at very short notice and threatened sporting sanctions.