Many of the most iconic moments in Germany 's football history all have the colour white in common.
Jurgen Klinsmann lifting the Euro 96 trophy in front of Queen Elizabeth at Wembley; the Miracle of Bern at the 1954 World Cup; the 1974 World Cup final win over the best Dutch team of all time. And - if all goes to plan - perhaps a Euro 2024 title win on home soil.
Every one a treasured occasion in its own right, and each one celebrated in the white that's become synonymous with German football. That's despite the fact white doesn't even feature on the country's red, black and yellow flag - but the inspiration behind Germany's kit colour predates the 'Bundesflagge' by almost a millennium.
It was back in the late 1100s that a religious military group called the Teutonic Order was formed in Jerusalem to aid Christians on their pilgrimages to the Holy Land. The Order relocated to the Baltics when Christianity was effectively banished in the region, and Teutonic Knights flew a white flag bearing a black cross - which was later changed to a black eagle.
Germany has long promoted the black eagle in its iconography. Even today, it still appears on the country's coat of arms. And it was while the nation was still a part of the much larger Prussian Empire - as far back as the 13th century - that the Holy Roman Emperor's coat of arms first appeared.
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That depicted a black eagle with a red beak and feet on a gold background, which eventually became the flag we see today.
Germany's inspiration to play in white is a tale that dates back almost 1,000 years (Markus Gilliar - GES Sportfoto/Getty Images)However, when Germany's national team was set up in 1899, they opted to promote the white and black colours seen on the flag of Prussia, which was eventually dissolved in the early 20th century. That same flag also featured a black eagle, which remains part of the Germany kit crest to this day.
While the Kingdom of Prussia came to an end nearly two decades later, the football team chose to stick with the same colours. Over the years, certain uniforms for the national team have featured the red, black and yellow witnessed on the country's flag. However, white is the colour most associated with their success - though perhaps more recently their lack thereof.
Julian Nagelsmann leads the host nation into Euro 2024 seeking to correct that record this summer, starting with Friday's curtain-raiser against Scotland. The two teams kick the tournament off in Munich, where Die Mannschaft will be banking on some good fortune in what could prove a potential trip hazard.
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