Euro 2024 boss Lahm hopes for 2nd German summer fairy tale

Tournament director Philipp Lahm is hoping for a sustainable "fairy tale 2.0" when Germany hosts the football European championships in two years time in a repeat of the home World Cup from 2006, reported dpa.

"You can't plan it but that there is a fairy tale 2.0 is the hope of everyone," he told dpa in Munich. "We can ensure from our side that it is well organized, that it's modernly organized - with all the topics that are now definitely bigger than in 2006."

Germany's surprise run to third place at the World Cup 16 years ago is known locally as the 'Sommermärchen' - summer fairy tale - both for the team's performance and party atmosphere it created throughout the country.

Lahm played then, and lifted the 2014 World Cup in Brazil, but now has the role of Euro 2024 tournament boss where he is as focussed on issues off the park as on it.

Sustainability has become "a big topic which we also address," the 38-year-old said.

"After a World Cup in Russia (2018), an Olympic Games in China (2022), a Euros in different countries under pandemic conditions, then the Qatar World Cup in winter, I believe the people in Europe are already looking forward to such a football party in the heart of Europe," he added.

In 2024 a big sporting tournament will finally again be "in a democratic country," said Lahm, "where we can also show our democratic values to the outside again and also show what we stand for."