BERLIN, (Reuters) – Germany have kept things in the family and will set up their Brazil 2014 World Cup base at a German-built resort under construction in Porto Seguro, north of Rio de Janeiro, the country’s football association said yesterday.
Germany, bidding for their fourth World Cup title and their first international trophy since 1996, are eager to have ideal preparations in the run-up and during the month-long tournament starting in June. “We saw at the previous World Cup in 2010 that short distances between team headquarters, training pitches and media centre are crucial for everyone involved,” team manager Oliver Bierhoff said.
The “Campo Bahia” as their headquarters will be known consists of 65 rooms still under construction with a what the DFB said was a “village atmosphere” and well away from the crowded metropolitan areas of Sao Paolo and Rio.
It is to be completed by March next year.
The location is also 45 minutes from the Port Seguro airport which Germany will use for their group matches to cities within two hours’ flight as they are keen to avoid long trips across the vast country.
“It was important for us to minimise any travel fatigue because of the size of the country and the great distances between cities,” Bierhoff said.
The Germans have been drawn against Ghana, the United States and Portugal in Group G. They face Portugal in Salvador on June 16 before traveling to Fortaleza to face Ghana on June 21 and finishing off in Recife against the United States five days later.
They will kick off their pre-tournament preparations with a camp in Italy on May 21 before playing two friendlies against yet undetermined teams on June 1 and on June 6 before departing for Brazil on June 7.
German also have scheduled friendlies on March 5 against Chile and on May 13 against Poland.
