Germany beats Sweden to become World Cup Champion!

While Klinsmann's team prepares for the match-up against Sweden this coming Saturday, DHL Germany's national team has already secured victory and returned home with the championship trophy. Could this be a good sign for the German national team's chances in the FIFA World Cup?

It was a splendid premiere for the Group, as Deutsche Post World Net hosted its own soccer World Cup alongside the real FIFA World Cup. 24 employee teams from all corners of the globe came together at the Lüneburg Heath from June 16 - 19 for a Group-wide soccer celebration - athletic competition and cultural exchange in one.

Confetti rained down and champagne bubbled over as the winners were honored at the awards ceremony: DHL Germany's soccer team had reached the finals of the Group's World Cup. But the victory over the Swedish squad was hard fought: the match remained tied 1:1 at the end of regular time, a tie that could not be broken even in the overtime period. Only after the penalty shootout could the German team breathe easier and celebrate the 5:4 victory. "It's an unbelievable feeling," exclaimed Michael Diel, captain of the DHL Germany team: "We raised our level of play with every match."

The tournament featured genuine World Cup flair: "Welcome to our country. A time to make friends," declared Franz Beckenbauer, head of the FIFA World Cup Organization Committee, who appeared live on a giant video screen to kick off the Deutsche Post World Net World Sports Event. The long-time FIFA referee Walter Eschweiler ran the final match with style and composure and even had some valuable tips for the players: "All you need is focus," was his advice to the shooters during the penalty shootout, along with a knowing wink of the eye. Directly following the final match, 1990 World Cup Champion Thomas Berthold stood alongside Board of Management Chairman Klaus Zumwinkel to honor the winners.

The final wasn't the only hard-fought match. Both the quarterfinal and semifinal rounds featured heated battles as well: four matches were decided by penalty shootouts - a clear indication of the high level of performance and dedication on the part of the tournament participants. The cheers of encouragement coming from the cheerleader squads and the enthusiastic crowd of spectators, many of whom were dressed and painted in the colors of the respective countries, provided the field players with an extra boost of strength.

And there was another winning team in addition to the soccer heroes: the cheerleading squad from China. The competition among the 20 cheerleading squads posed a particular challenge to the judges in first round of competition. All eight participants in the final round displayed an incredible amount of physical and artistic skill and each of the cheerleader teams' three-minute routines were greeted with storms of applause from the enthusiastic crowd. The teams captivated the crowd with their stunts, choreography and charisma. Upon receiving the winner's trophy from Board Chairman Klaus Zumwinkel, the captain of the Chinese cheerleading team said: "We are very happy," and then added with extra emphasis, "China, let's go!"

Manfred Harnischfeger, Deutsche Post World Net's Head of Corporate Communications, summed up the mood among the tournament's participants: "Aside from the huge amount of fun had by all, the participants can take home a lot of pride - pride in their performances and pride in the company for which they work. And a great deal of respect for the thousands of fellow employees working for this truly global company!" This was a tournament that sent all participants home as winners.