One more field where the continent trails Germany
John Springford of the CER said the winner-take-all aspect of soccer could also be troublesome for Europe as it battles the debt crisis. "The euro crisis has been dominated by that narrative of competitiveness," Mr Springford said. "That kind of zero-sum thinking that is analogous to the football mentality is one of the reasons why it’s been so difficult to create a lasting solution to the euro crisis."