Words for How a Win Was Earned

German football talk rarely stops at the score. It also says how the win came about.

ein verdienter Sieg — A deserved win. DWDS gives the example of a cup final that ended mit einem knappen, aber verdienten Sieg, with a narrow but deserved win.

ein glücklicher Sieg — A lucky win. DWDS lists it among the usual ways to describe a win.

der Arbeitssieg — A work win. Duden marks it as sports jargon: a win gained only with effort against an opponent who is actually weaker.

der dreckige Sieg — A dirty win. DWDS: a game won despite a weak performance of one’s own, a win that was not deserved. Coaches often say their team needs one now and then.

der Dusel — Duden: unverdientes Glück, undeserved luck. Since the 1970s the phrase Bayern-Dusel has been used about late, lucky wins of Bayern Munich.

In October 2008 Bayern won luckily at Karlsruhe. The reporter of the club’s own channel, fcb.tv, asked Uli Hoeneß: Haben wir heute wieder die Dusel-Bayern erlebt? Did we see the lucky Bayern again today? Hoeneß answered: Sie müssen sich in der nächsten Woche einen neuen Job suchen! You will have to look for a new job next week. He added that the question would have been understandable as the seventh question. From the club’s own reporter as the first question, he called it hirnverbrannt, brainless. The club’s media director said the reporter had only been standing in. He added that the young man would probably not be used again.

understand-culture
Privacy Overview

This website uses cookies so that we can provide you with the best user experience possible. Cookie information is stored in your browser and performs functions such as recognising you when you return to our website and helping our team to understand which sections of the website you find most interesting and useful.