Even though the German Fußball-Bundesliga will start this weekend in the second half of the current season, I still like to stick to handball and the current World Championships in Germany and Denmark.

Apart from such a big tournament, this sport doesn't usually get so much attention, so I have to take advantage of this rare chance and make the most of it.

Both hosts, Germany and Denmark, have entered the main round unbeaten, although of course the Scandinavians had the easier group by far, in which they could also leave the strong Norwegian team behind them.

The Germans suffered two minor setbacks during the preliminary round, when in the matches against Russia and world champions France they gave the lead out of their hands shortly before the end and in both cases the guests were able to equalize and the matches ended in a draw. In the next round, the German players better avoid such careless but devastating mistakes, if they really, as they have hoped, want to make it to the semi-finals or if possible, even further.

In the 5 matches so far the German national team has shown the right performance and an excellent attitude and the players around coach Prokop have grown together as a strong and supportive unit.

And the clear 31:23 victory against Serbia in the last match of the preliminary round was also very important for the mood and the atmosphere in the German team. After the two draws in the previous games, some of the players had to rebuild their slightly tarnished self-confidence and nothing was better than a convincing win in the last group game.

In the main round Germany will face the French squad again, and in addition the European champions from Spain and also the very strong Croatians, who even beat the Iberians in their last group game. In there next group will also be the teams from Iceland and Brazil, which will probably have no real chance to reach the semi-finals anymore.

Lanxess Arena - Creative Common photo by Armin Kübelbeck

For the German team it is now time to relocate and say goodbye to the bustling and loud audience of the Mercedes-Benz Arena in Berlin. The next match will take place in Cologne's Lanxess Arena, which will have 19,500 seats and can accommodate another 6,000 spectators. The atmosphere here will certainly be bombastic again, and the fans in the stands will do everything they can to cheer on the German national team to their next victories and hopefully till they get to the top of the world.

Everything is still within reach at this World Championship and if the German selection continues to play with this passion and determination and then also manages to eliminate the individual mistakes that keep appearing over and over again, they don't have to be afraid of all those big names in handball, which are now waiting in the main round and if they manage to get pass this stage, in the semi-finale and finale as well.