ANGELA Merkel graciously admitted Germany deserved to lose to England at the football last week – as the PM thanked Angela Merkel for breaking with tradition to grant us a win.
The PM and German Chancellor exchanged jokes at a warm press conference this afternoon following one-on-one talks in what will be her last UK visit before she steps down.
The PM laughed about last week’s incredible football result, where England defeated Germany 2 – 0 – reversing decades of tradition and poor luck.
The outgoing German Chancellor said today: “On football… Obviously this was not a voluntary offer on my side, in order to create the right climate, the right mood for this visit, but I have to accept it.
“We hand it to you and you deserved it.”
She wished Britain the “best of luck” for the future matches too, in what will likely be one of her last one-on-one chats with the PM.
Noting Mrs Merkel’s 22 visits to the UK during her time in power, the Prime Minister told a press conference following their meeting at Chequers: “In the course of that time some things have changed beyond recognition but for much of your tenure it was certainly a tradition, Angela, for England to lose to Germany in international football tournaments.
“I’m obviously grateful to you for breaking with that tradition, just for once!”
Germany and England’s last football meeting saw them knock us out of the 2010 world cup.
The rivalry stems back to 1966 when we thrashed West Germany to lift the cup, but since then they’ve mostly done better than us in major tournaments.
The PM and German Chancellor had had a bi-lateral meeting at Chequers this morning, before addressing Cabinet ministers.
The German leader is on the cusp of climbing down from demands for mandatory EU-wide quarantine after she was snubbed by tourism hotspots.
But several states said they would set their own rules and ignored her calls.
Today she indicated that “in the near future” she will allow double-jabbed Brits into the EU without isolating in a huge boost for our summer breaks.
The visit is her 22nd to Britain and her last as Chancellor after 16 years at the helm in Berlin.
Ahead of the talks both sides agreed to rebuild relations which have been strained by five years of Brexit tensions.
In a major olive branch on the eve of the meeting Mrs Merkel announced she’s set to ease travel curbs on Brits entering Germany.
The UK will be downgraded from a “virus area of concern” – the highest bracket of restrictions – to one of “high incidence”.
That will cut the mandatory quarantine visitors from the UK have to observe from two weeks to as little as five days.
Health minister Jens Spahn said it is also a recognition the Delta variant is now almost as widespread in Germany as it is in the UK.
Ahead of her visit the PM said: “The UK and Germany have a steadfast friendship and a shared outlook on many issues.
“Our scientists, innovators and industrialists work together every day to make the world a better place.
“Over the 16 years of Chancellor Merkel’s tenure the UK-Germany relationship has been re-energised and re-invigorated for a new era.
“And the new joint ventures we will agree today will leave a legacy that will last for generations.”
She will address a meeting of the Cabinet, becoming the first foreign leader to do so since US President Bill Clinton in 1997.
