What's in a name? Photo (cc) flickr user EssjayNZ

Germany won, England came last and — most importantly — Ireland finished above England. Everybody happy! Was Eurovision a taste of things to come? Evidently not as Ireland didn’t even qualify for the World Cup (as I’m sure England fans will be quicker to point out than French ones), but Berliners are taking Lena’s success as a sign, an inspiration, a beacon of hope…

“Jungs, jetzt müsst Ihr die Lena machen!” urged Bild on Monday — (Lads, now you must do the Lena!) — with mock-up pictures of the players with long black hair like Germany’s new Eurovision queen. An improvement for most of them actually. Schweini looked particularly dashing with his new look.

Only 14 more days until the start of the 2010 FIFA World Cup! Photo (cc) flickr user TheBusyBrain

On June 23rd Kevin-Prince Boateng will be meeting his brother Jerome in South Africa.  But this won’t be your run of the mill family reunion.  These two brothers, both German-born Ghanians, will be battling it out on the soccer pitch–one playing on the German National Team, the other playing on the Ghanian.

Several weeks ago tension had already begun building between Ghana and Germany, and Kevin-Prince will be at the center  of this controversy when these two nations  clash at the world cup because it was his grueling tackle that injured German team captain Michael Ballack during an FA cup final recently.  Though Kevin-Prince has  apologized, who knows how Ballack is feeling about the man whose tackle will keep him off South Africa’s pitches during this year’s World Cup.

Philip Bright Mensah is joining the Young Germany World Cup Blogger Team from Ghana.

Last week you met Der Irische Berliner and Fazal Adnan.  This week we’ve got another Young Germany blogger to introduce to you: Philip Bright Mensah.  Philip will be bringing you blogs about the World Cup all the way from Ghana.

Now 24 years old, Philip got his BSc in statistics and actuarial science from the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology in Kumasi. He is passionate about soccer and is an Arsenal fan.  He currently lives in Ghana’s capital, Accra.

With just 23 days left until the World Cup begins, we thought it was about time to fire up the Young Germany World Cup Blog.  We’ve got writers who will be reporting on World Cup happenings from Pakistan, Ghana, South Africa, Japan, and, of course, Germany.

Our first World Cup blogger is an Irish fellow who fell for Berlin and hasn’t looked back.  Check back tomorrow for his first post. 

Der Irische Berliner, the newest member of the Young Germany World Cup Blogging Team

Irish in Berlin

Ciarán Fahey came to Berlin on St. Patrick’s Day 2008, to live, love, and learn all there was to be lived, loved, and learned in this wonderful city. And for Kürbiskernbrot.

Like writing about football? Become a Young Germany World Cup blogger! Photo (cc) flickr user Katie@!

The countdown to this year’s football World Cup has begun, and here at Young Germany we’re looking for our own talented eleven—eleven bloggers to report on their World Cup impressions, an international team made up of YG readers from around the world.  This year the World Cup will be held in South Africa.

Are you living in South Africa and are planning on experiencing the World Cup firsthand?  (Or do you have advice for non-fans interested in avoiding the crowds?)  Are you in South America, Asia, North America, or Australia and want to tell the world about how you experience and celebrate the World Cup in your hometown?  If you answered yes to any of these questions, we want to hear from you.