Germany, flying high after thrashing Curacao 7-1 in their opening World Cup match, are facing a new fear. The squad has been spending anxious days after a venomous snake was spotted at its base camp in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, in the United States. Germany captain Joshua Kimmich voiced real concern over the matter.
“Just yesterday we saw a snake inside our camp. We were later told it was quite venomous. If it bites you, you have to rush to hospital immediately. Everyone has been frightened ever since,” the Germany captain said at a news conference.
British broadcaster the BBC reported that the snake the Germans encountered at their training camp was a copperhead. This venomous species is often seen in North Carolina. The US state is known for its many snake species, with about 37 species said to live in the region.
“I don’t think a bite would kill a person. But it is certain the situation could become extremely dangerous,” Kimmich said.
The 31-year-old midfielder said players at a global tournament like the World Cup normally think about their tactics, injuries and their next opponents. “But here we have the added worry of what is hiding in the grass on the pitch,” he said.
“Ever since we learned the snake was venomous, anxiety has spread through the whole team. The situation now is that the footballers look down at the ground before every step on the pitch to check whether there is a snake. Everyone understands that an accidental step on the grass could be dangerous,” he said.
Germany’s next World Cup match is against Ivory Coast. The four-time world champions face Ivory Coast on June 21. Alongside the contest on the pitch, how to deal with the venomous snakes around the camp is now a big test for the Germans.
বাংলায় মূল প্রতিবেদন পড়ুন · Read the original Bengali report