Players at the World Cup are used to worrying about tactics, injuries and their next opponent. But for Germany captain Joshua Kimmich and his teammates, there is an extra threat: what might be hiding in the grass.
Kimmich revealed that Germany have already come across a copperhead, a venomous snake commonly found in North Carolina, at their base camp in Winston-Salem. “We saw a snake yesterday, we were told it was venomous. If you get bitten, you have to go to the hospital,” he said. “I don’t think you’ll die, but it’s certainly dangerous. I have the feeling that if you step on a snake like that, it can end badly.”
“Germany captain Joshua Kimmich and other players fear venomous copperhead snakes at their World Cup bases.”
The concerns are not confined to the German camp. Switzerland have marked a certain area in their San Diego camp as a “snake area” before the tournament. Norway, also based in North Carolina, are based in Greensboro, where the city’s official website notes that copperheads are “very common”. That news did not exactly delight Norway captain Kristian Thorstvedt. “I’m not happy at all to hear that,” he said when told about the local wildlife.
Kimmich, who is used to far fewer dangerous creatures at home – Germany is home to seven species of snake, of which two are venomous – admitted the threat has changed the team’s behaviour. “Once you hear what kind of snake it is and what can happen if you’re bitten, it stops being funny very quickly,” he said. “We’re here trying to prepare for the biggest tournament in football, and suddenly players are looking at the ground before every step they take.”
The presence of venomous snakes has added an unexpected layer of jeopardy to the World Cup, with players from Germany, Switzerland and Norway all voicing their concerns. For Kimmich, the contrast with home could not be starker. “In Germany, you worry about tactics, injuries, and your next opponent. Here, you also have to think about what might be hiding in the grass,” he said. “I have respect for the people here. In Germany, I have the feeling there aren’t so many dangerous animals.”