Synopsis

Herbert Gronemeyer performs the official German-language anthem of the 2006 FIFA World Cup alongside Malian duo Amadou & Mariam. The video combines performance footage with images of the German national team, football fans, stadium action, and memorable scenes from earlier World Cups. Its upbeat montage presents soccer as a shared international celebration, matching the song's call for movement, optimism, and togetherness. The contrast between Gronemeyer's rock presence and Amadou & Mariam's African musical identity reinforces the tournament's global character.

Factoids & Trivia

• The song was created specifically for the 2006 FIFA World Cup in Germany. Its international English version was titled "Celebrate the Day."

• Herbert Gronemeyer approached Amadou & Mariam after seeing the Malian duo perform in London. He wanted to combine a German choir-based sound with African rhythms, percussion, and drums.

• The recording with Amadou & Mariam and their band took place in Paris. German, English, and French versions were produced for the World Cup campaign.

• Amadou & Mariam are a married musical duo from Mali who met at a school for blind people. Their participation gave the anthem a genuinely international dimension rather than presenting it as a purely German football song.

• The video uses footage of the contemporary German national team together with archive material from previous World Cups, connecting the 2006 tournament to the wider history of the competition.

• The single was issued as an enhanced CD containing the music video, alongside the English version and a Timo Maas remix.

• "Zeit, dass sich was dreht" reached No. 1 in Germany and became closely associated with the celebratory atmosphere surrounding the 2006 World Cup and its later "summer fairy tale" image.