Federal President Frank-Walter Steinmeier honored world champion coach Joachim Löw for his services as a former national coach at a lunch at Bellevue Palace.

Löw has not only done "historical things for German football", but also "made a contribution to the cohesion of our society and the reputation of our country in the world", said Steinmeier on Wednesday in his speech before the scheduled lunch with the world champion coach .

"That's why I am pleased that I can say goodbye to you today, in a small circle, but on behalf of all of football Germany," added the Federal President, who sees Löw as a "innovator and visionary".

"Your art of dealing with people, your ability to make each individual in the ensemble even better, all of this makes you a coach of the golden generation," said the SPD politician.

Löw gave the people in Germany "many moments that will remain in the memory of our nation" - above all the 2014 World Cup in Brazil and, as co-coach, the unforgettable 2006 home World Cup.

In his address, Steinmeier not only emphasized Löw's sporting merits. “Today we are honoring a national coach whose team has reflected the diversity of our society. The successes of his team have changed the self-image of our country, they have made different stories of origin of young Germans an integral part of our national narrative. And above all, they showed how much we can achieve together as different people when we are there for one another, ”said Steinmeier.

The Federal President was also enthusiastic about Löw's tightrope walk between closeness to his homeland and cosmopolitanism.

“Joachim Löw, that was and is for many“ the Jogi ”, a native, firmly rooted in the Black Forest, in Schönau and Freiburg im Breisgau,” he said, “but at the same time a world traveler, never narrow-minded and backward-looking, but always open to New."

Löw has positively changed the image of Germany in the world with his work.

"Joachim Löw and his players stand for a cosmopolitan and tolerant Germany, for a Germany that is not grouchy, dogged and condescending, but friendly, confident and fair," said Steinmeier.

Steinmeier wished the former national coach good luck for the new phase of his life and, above all, time “to take a deep breath and draw new strength. And I am sure that new ideas and goals have long been growing in you, plans for the game that is now before you. "

The 61-year-old Löw resigned as national coach after being eliminated in the European Championship round of 16 against England (2-0) after 15 years with 198 international matches.

Three years earlier he had been responsible for the historic World Cup preliminary round in Russia.

In addition to the 2014 World Cup title, Löw also won the Confederation Cup (2017) with the national team.

The German Football Association (DFB) will officially bid farewell to Hansi Flick's predecessor at the World Cup qualifier next Thursday (8.45 p.m. in the FAZ live ticker for the national football team and on RTL) in Wolfsburg against Liechtenstein.