Former national football team player Jens Nowotny on the topic of happiness

MR. NOWOTNY, YOU EXPERIENCED THE 2006 WORLD CUP FIRST-HAND AS A PLAYER. WHICH MOMENT HAVE YOU REMEMBERED THE MOST TO THIS DAY?

There were two or three moments that I remember, and those that showed how people's enthusiasm for the World Cup or for the team has grown. In the beginning, people were rather skeptical. At some point, however, the euphoria really spilled over; and then there was finally that moment when you said goodbye to the fans in Berlin and thanked them. Just this way of getting there, that was already inspiring.

WHEN GOALKEEPER JENS LEHMANN SCORED THE DECISIVE PENALTY IN THE PENALTY SHOOTOUT AGAINST ARGENTINA, WHAT ROLE DID OLIVER KAHN'S LEGENDARY NOTE PLAY? HOW MUCH LUCK WAS IN THE GAME?

Yes, there is always a bit of luck in the penalty shoot-out, of course. Whether the note was even registered by the opponents, I do not know at all. But this is important, because such a piece of paper, this is rather something psychological. When the shooter sees something like this, he thinks to himself once again: "Oh, the goalkeeper knows how I shot last time, " and then starts to ponder. This can be a psychological advantage.

MANY ELITE ATHLETES HAVE RITUALS TO TAKE FATE TO THEIR AID. WAS THERE EVER SUCH A RITUAL IN YOUR CAREER OR WERE YOU ACTUALLY THE "MOST RIPPED-OFF BUNDESLIGA PROFESSIONAL" AS THE WORLD CALLED IN 2007?

No, I believe that every player has rituals. It is in the genetics of people, because we are creatures of habit. You always have the same process on a game day. Whether this is superstition or habit, one should simply answer for oneself.

THEY ARE BIG GAME FANS AND ORGANIZE GAME DAYS, AMONG OTHER THINGS. HOW DID THIS PASSION COME ABOUT?

It is always fascinating to open such a game – today it is called "unboxing" - to read the introduction, understand the mechanisms, immerse yourself in the story, and then sit at the table with friends, acquaintances or family and have the same goal for 2-3 hours. LUCK OR STRATEGY, WHAT IS MORE IMPORTANT TO YOU WHEN PLAYING? Speaking of luck or strategy: it always depends. Sometimes you like to have such easy games, which are rather luck-dependent, but sometimes also real brainburners, where you have to think very carefully if you really want to win. So this is always situation-dependent.

FOOTBALL AND BOARD GAMES, IT SEEMS THAT PLAYING IS IN THEIR BLOOD. HAVE YOU EVER BEEN TO A CASINO?

My last visit was a while ago. But I found it very interesting. Many will remember the fairytale summer of 2006: football World Cup in their own country. Ex-national player Jens Nowotny reports exclusively about his personal tournament highlights in the Glücksinterview and tells us what role luck plays in football and board games, his second passion.

FOR SEVERAL YEARS NOW, YOU HAVE BEEN A PATRON OF THE NGO "KIDSHELP CAMBODIA", WHICH IS COMMITTED TO IMPROVING THE LIVING CONDITIONS OF LOCAL CHILDREN. WHAT ROLE DOES SUCH A COMMITMENT PLAY IN YOUR LIFE?

So if you can advance such an engagement by name alone, then you should not be too sorry to do that, because that is a relatively low effort that you are doing there. My commitment relates above all to the topic of children – regardless of whether it is about improving living conditions in other countries or whether it is about improving the prevailing ones here. This is an issue that concerns you, and if you have the opportunity to support it, you should do the same.

WHAT DOES HAPPINESS MEAN TO YOU PERSONALLY?

Health.