With the smell of sausage wafting through the air, Germany kicked off their Euro 2024 training camp under blue skies in front of 15,000 fans in the central city of Jena.
Germany is based in Thuringia, part of the former East, for pre-Europe training ground.
England will be based in the same location for the duration of the tournament, while Germany will head south to Herzogenaurach – the small Bavarian village where clothing giant Adidas is based.
“It gives the team a great feeling that the country is behind us and that everyone is behind us,” coach Julian Nagelsmann said on Monday.
After disappointing group stage exits at the last two World Cups and England’s round of 16 exit at the most recent Euro, Germany’s victories over France and the Netherlands in March boosted optimism ahead of their home tournament.
Germany sporting director Rudi Voeller said the hosts were “burning out” for the tournament.
“It’s a great opportunity for us to showcase ourselves and be approachable. That’s really important.”
Tickets for the training sold out within minutes.
“We would like to go to an even bigger stadium. The demand was unbelievable,” Voeller said Monday.
More than 16,000 people watched the live stream of the online training session.
Three weeks before the tournament opener against Scotland in Munich, Germany’s training camp began with several squad members absent due to club duties, with just 19 of the 27 squad members available.
The injured Leroy Sane, Jamal Musiala, Aleksandar Pavlovic and David Raum did not participate in the full session.
The players stayed afterward and signed autographs while posing for photos with fans.
Four players will take part in the Champions League final on Saturday at Wembley: Toni Kroos, from Real Madrid, and Antonio Ruediger, as well as Nico Schlotterbeck and Niclas Fuellkrug, from Borussia Dortmund.
Bayer Leverkusen players Robert Andrich, Florian Wirtz and Jonathan Tah, who on Sunday celebrated winning the league and cup double for the first time, will arrive on Wednesday.
Barcelona captain Ilkay Gundogan and Marc-Andre ter Stegen will also arrive later in the week.
Manuel Neuer also missed Monday’s session due to a stomach problem.
Nagelsmann has called up youngsters Brajan Gruda, 19, and Rocco Reitz, 21, to “help” the depleted squad during camp, but they are not expected to be included in the tournament.
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