ZDF documentary explores the final year of the East German national football team

The ZDF three-part documentary series “Go West! - Die letzte Elf der DDR” examines the final year of the East German national football team. The film covers pivotal moments from their 1990 World Cup qualifying loss in Vienna to their final appearance in Brussels in September 1990.

Featuring interviews with former players such as Matthias Sammer, Ulf Kirsten, and Andreas Thom, as well as former national coach Eduard Geyer, the documentary explores the transition between the East German blue jersey and the West German national colors. Former Bayer Leverkusen manager Reiner Calmund also shares insights into his strategy to recruit top East German talent starting in November 1989, a process that involved using early computer technology to identify players like Thom, Kirsten, and Sammer.