Reprimand for Mertesacker When the world champion says “player material”, not everyone likes it
ZDF presenter Jochen Breyer (l.) and former footballer Per Mertesacker.
© IMAGO / Chai vd Laage
On ZDF, former footballer Per Mertesacker used the word “player material” and was reprimanded by presenter Jochen Breyer. The internet then discussed language bans – but the debate is not a new one.
“Language creates reality,” as the philosopher Ludwig Wittgenstein already knew. It is therefore not entirely unimportant which words you use when you speak. Even in football, as Per Mertesacker and presenter Jochen Breyer proved on Thursday evening at the European Championship match between Spain and Italy on ZDF.
Mertesacker analyses Spain – and uses controversial word
Now, football pre-match coverage of the European Championships is not generally suspected of being on the same level of language as the Literary Quartet, and why should it be? But after Per Mertesacker had finished his analysis before the game, he did receive a bit of linguistic criticism.
The 2014 world champion had addressed the changed style of the Spaniards, “because they no longer have the players to only play for possession” and was promptly reprimanded by moderator Jochen Breyer, who had stumbled over the word “players”.
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“I know that some fans at home will be critical of that. Because people are not material. Maybe in the future we will say squad or player potential,” he countered Mertesacker.
Debate in social media about the word “player material”
Footballer Christoph Kramer, who was also sitting in the group, only let out a long drawn-out “Okaaay”, Mertesacker seemed surprised and laughed.
So is ZDF now issuing bans on speaking during prime time? The debate was at least rolling out at the same time on social media. Breyer’s comment was probably just a well-intentioned suggestion.
Dissatisfaction with people and materials is nothing new. In 2000, the term “human material” was chosen as the bad word of the year.
And anyway, football has given the world a wealth of words that may seem a little strange to the uninitiated. There is the alibi pass, the flypaper or the phantom goal. But no word is probably as technical and cold as “player material”.
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