The head of Germany's national
soccer association said on Wednesday
that German players celebrating their
World Cup triumph did not intend to
be disrespectful when they performed
a dance that poked fun at their
defeated opponent Argentina.

During victory celebrations in front of
fans in Berlin on Tuesday a group of
players stooped low and chanted
"This is how Gauchos walk, Gauchos
they walk like this", before jumping
up to shout: "This is how Germans
walk, Germans they walk like this!"

There was little outcry in Argentina
but sports newspaper Ole said: "The
Gaucho dance performed by the
Germans ... caused unease in our
country."

Some German media criticised the
dance too. Frankfurter Allgemeine
Zeitung newspaper said it was a
"nasty satire" with which the players
damaged Germany's image as a
tolerant country, Tagesspiegel newspaper said it was
"tasteless" and Tageszeitung said it was "disrespectful".

Wolfgang Niersbach, president of the DFB football
association, said the dance was "in no way meant
disrespectfully", adding that it was a "spontaneous"
expression of the players' joy.

"They are all absolutely decent and fair sportsmen who
don't make fun of anyone but just wanted to celebrate
wildly with the fans," he said in a statement on the DFB's
website.

"We're sorry if this came across the wrong way or was
misunderstood by some people."
He said he would write a letter to Argentine FA (AFA)
president Julio Grondona and make clear to him that the
routine was not meant disrespectfully.

Source: http://www.supersport.com/football/world-cup-2014/news/140716/Players_Gaucho_dance_not_disrespectful