André Henning: “I was told it couldn’t work with them”

Germany’s hockey players kept celebrating until dawn after defending their World Cup title, while coach André Henning went to bed around 3 a.m. “I can only report on parts of it, because I wasn’t there until the end,” Henning told Die Zeit the day after the final.

Germany beat Spain 1-0 on Sunday to retain the title it won in 2023. Henning said the celebrations began in the dressing room with dancing and singing, but he described the overall mood as one of “blissful calm” after a tournament that had drained the team’s energy.

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I can only report on parts of it, because I wasn’t there until the end.

The 42-year-old coach has built a successful career after a cruciate ligament injury forced him to end his playing career early. He has since led Germany to the European title and Olympic silver, in addition to the World Cup victories.

In the interview, Henning also discussed how he became a successful coach and why teams need to pass through a crisis during a tournament. The headline recalls an earlier doubt about whether his group could succeed, set against the team’s latest championship.

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German hockey players can indeed celebrate very well, but on Sunday evening and during the night I had more the impression that a blissful calm prevailed.