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• I don’t expect political statements from Germany team -Thomas Hitzlsperger

  German players are unlikely to make any major political statements at Euro 2024 after their World Cup protest in Qatar was met with a tepid domestic reception, ex-international Thomas Hitzlsperger has predicted.

  Seven European nations at the 2022 global showpiece – including England – initially planned to wear ‘OneLove’ anti-discrimination armbands but were dissuaded following the threat of sporting sanctions from FIFA.

  Instead, the Germans covered their mouths for a World Cup team photograph in protest, while the tournament remained overshadowed by the host nation’s record on human rights, from its treatment of migrant workers to the criminalisation of same-sex relationships.

  Hitzlsperger, who bookended his playing career with spells at Aston Villa and Everton and a decade ago became the first former Premier League player to come out as gay, said: “It ended for the German team not in a good way. Funnily enough, back home a lot of people criticised it whereas abroad it was seen as a big statement.

  “After the tournament, some of the representatives of the German national team just said, ‘look, at the Euros we talk about football, nothing else’. So I don’t expect much from the team similar to the World Cup.

  “I think the England team were the first ones to play, and they decided against the One Love armband. A lot of the German players, they felt a responsibility, they felt ‘we’ve got to make a statement’.

  “They couldn’t rely on the other teams. I think there were seven teams in the end that tried to stick together and wear the armband, and then they all collapsed, basically. And that’s when the Germans were like, ‘We still have to do something’.”

  The former midfielder, who is now serving as an ambassador for this summer’s tournament in his home country, agrees that Germany’s poor showing likely influenced negative sentiment around the protest.

  He said: “Football can be brutal. If you win, you set the tone and whatever you do it’s accepted and people look up to you. If you don’t win, you lose football matches, then you better not say anything.”

  Even before the tournament, said the 42-year-old, the German public was already divided over whether or not the national team – or anyone – had a responsibility to act.

  “It was a very difficult debate and it never came to a conclusion,” said Hitzlsperger.

  “Some said it’s too much politics, others said it was right what we did, and that’s where we ended. That was our opportunity to say ‘we’re hosting a European Championship, let’s have a really good time together’, talk about responsibility when it comes to sustainability but don’t teach the world what to do.”

  Organisers hope the tournament itself will instead do the talking, with ambitions to become be the most sustainable European Championship of all time through the use of entirely pre-existing stadia run by 100 per cent renewable energy sources, a zoned match schedule reducing travel distances for teams and fans, and the creation of a climate fund dedicated to projects focused on mitigating tournament-related unavoidable emissions.

  It is also the second major football tournament, following in the footsteps of last summer’s Women’s World Cup, to sign a human rights declaration.

  UEFA has stated EURO 2024 “embraces gender identities and expressions as a spectrum that is not limited to a binary concept”, with gender-neutral toilets available at all venues and similarly neutral lanes outside the stadia to accommodate a range of gender expressions for procedures like body checks.

  Ultimately, says Hitzlsperger, “the German FA, UEFA, the German government and the foreign ministry, (will do) everything we can do, without putting the team under too much pressure to say ‘every game you have to make a statement’.

  “You have to know who is responsible for what, and unfortunately what happened in Qatar really made the players aware of the consequences if you take a stance on human rights.”

• Barcelona could demand Real Madrid replay if ‘phantom goal’ deemed legal

  Barcelona president Joan Laporta has threatened legal action and could demand a replay after his side were denied a goal against Real Madrid at the weekend.

  Lamine Yamal thought he had scored in the 28th minute of Sunday’s 3-2 LaLiga loss at the Bernabeu but, after a lengthy VAR check, it was ruled the ball had not cross the line.

  The Spanish competition does not use goalline technology.

  Laporta has requested footage and audio of the decision-making over this “phantom goal” incident from the Spanish Football Federation and will then consider further action.

  He said in a statement on the club’s website, fcbarcelona.com: “If, once this documentation has been analysed, the club understands that an error was made in the revision of the incident, we will take all available measures to reverse the situation, without discounting, obviously, any necessary legal action.

  “If it is confirmed that it was a legal goal, we will move ahead and we do not discount requesting that the game be replayed, just as has happened in another game in Europe due to a VAR error.”

  Laporta was referring to a decision to replay a Belgian Pro League between Anderlecht and Genk because of a VAR error earlier this season.

  Real went on to win the match 3-2 with a stoppage-time winner from Jude Bellingham and are now 11 points clear of Barca at the top of the table.

• Bolt impressed with Jude Bellingham’s impact at Real Madrid; challenges Mbappe to 100m sprint

  Football fan Usain Bolt has praised Jude Bellingham’s impact at Real Madrid and challenged Kylian Mbappe to show him how fast he is over 100 metres.

  Former sprinter Bolt met Bellingham on the red carpet ahead of the Laureus World Sports Awards in Madrid on Monday, where the England midfielder won the World Breakthrough of the Year prize.

  The pair re-enacted Bellingham’s open arms goal celebration, which was seen again on Sunday after a stoppage time El Clasico winner against Barcelona.

  It was Bellingham’s 21st goal of an extraordinary first season in Madrid, which could yet end up with a LaLiga and Champions League double for the 20-year-old.

  “I think he’s impressed a lot of people, not just me,” said Bolt, a keen footballer.

  “Coming into Real Madrid we expected great things from him. But he’s stepped up to a level that we didn’t expect him to be this great.

  “He’s shown his young talent that he will be among the top footballers throughout his career.

  “It’s a pleasure to meet him and just have a conversation with him.

  “The young generation is really stepping up, so big up to the Jude.”

  Jamaican sprinter Bolt, now 37, won eight Olympic gold medals in a glittering career on the track and remains the world record holder over 100 and 200 metres.

  He was asked about Mbappe’s pace, with the France forward recognised as one of the quickest players in world football.

  Bolt said: “I would love to have competed with Mbappe in my prime to see how close he would be (to him).

  “I feel one day he just needs to run 100 metres and let me see the time.”

  Bolt says he will be at the Olympic Games in Paris this summer and is “excited to see everything”.

  He said: “I’m keen to have an all-access pass to everything. Anything I can do on that day I will be doing it. I’ll be like a kid in a candy store.

  “But I’ll definitely be at the track on the days of the 100 and 200 metres finals.”

  The 25th Laureus World Sports Awards took place on Monday, April 22 in Madrid, celebrating the leading names in sport from across the globe. To find out more, visit www.laureus.com.