Supporters criticise mixed sporting performances, the DFB's image and a lack of fan orientation 

FanQ survey: One year before the European Championships in their own country, German football fans' anticipation is limited. On the one hand, this is due to the recent mixed sporting performances of national coach Hansi Flick's team. On the other hand, there are also a number of factors off the pitch that are dampening the enthusiasm of supporters for the upcoming home European Championships. 

FanQ was therefore commissioned by the SID to survey over 5,000 fans on the current situation of the DFB squad and the fans' identification with the national team. The latter is the focus below. 

When asked how much they identify with the DFB team, fans awarded an average of just 2.25 out of a possible five stars. 43.8 % of them voted with the lowest answer option. By comparison, when asked to identify with their favourite club, fans awarded an average of 4.42 stars - a significantly better rating, with almost two thirds (66.6 %) of fans voting with the highest possible number of five stars. 

A whopping 87.8 % of supporters also say that their identification with the German national team used to be greater than it currently is. Only 7.9 % of football fans deny this. 

There are many reasons why German football fans identify less with their national team. For example, over three quarters of fans (77.8%) would agree that the DFB team's mixed sporting performances are a major factor, while 71.2% of them also cite the DFB's image in this context. 

Furthermore, 69.0 % of fans are of the opinion that their low level of identification with the national team is due to the fact that the association does not focus enough on the interests of the supporters. 64.3 % of German football fans also believe that values and ideals are given too little consideration in football overall and that this has a negative impact on their identification. Last but not least, 61.5 % of football fans in Germany explain their lower level of identification with the player personalities in the DFB squad. 

Meanwhile, there is disagreement regarding the influence of Hansi Flick's personnel. For example, 51.6TP3T of football fans see the personal appearance of the national coach as a reason for their lower level of identification. In contrast, 36.7% of supporters deny this. 

"The data from our study shows that there are many reasons why fans are turning away from the national team," says Prof Dr Harald Lange from the University of Würzburg. "At the same time, they are encouraging, because the high identification values in club football also show that fans can still be retained."  

If you have any editorial queries, please contact FanQ founder Joachim Lammert, joachim.lammert@fanq.com, 0163-5293000. 

FanQ is the "voice of the fans". It is the only football platform where the opinion of the fans takes centre stage. The experienced FanQ editorial team provides daily surveys via the web and app. Fans can vote on their favourite clubs and all relevant football topics. FanQ is interactive. Fans can exchange opinions, interact socially and ask their own questions. This results in a representative picture of the mood. FanQ also creates long-term studies to research complex topics. Registration for the web community and use of the app are free of charge. FanQ is based in Cologne.

If you have any editorial queries about the survey results, please contact us.

FanQ founder

Dr Joachim Lammert
joachim.lammert@fanq.com