Ulf Poschardt, the editor-in-chief of one of Germany’s most popular newspapers Die Welt, has written a letter of apology to Marc Cucurella.
This comes after Cucurella was booed throughout the semi-final clash between Spain and France at the Euros.
German fans were livid after the handball incident in Spain’s quarter-final win against Germany, when a penalty wasn’t awarded to Germany in extra time, after the ball hit Cucurella’s hand.
Poschardt wrote: “On behalf of many Germans, I want to apologise for the unsportsmanlike behaviour of some – too many! – fans yesterday in the semi-final against Marc Cucurella.
“It was unsportsmanlike, it was unfair and it was also a bit of a simple transfer of responsibility. Of course it was handball and of course the referee should have whistled.
“Our sadness is understandable after the fantastic tournament and the nice performance of the team. But the whistles from the German fans do not seem particularly elegant, but rather bitter and resentful. We looked like bad losers and that has no place in sports.
“Some Germans may be like that, but many of us find it embarrassing. And also ungrateful, because the Spanish, with their truly remarkable hospitality, also receive the not particularly cultured hordes of tourists from Germany in Mallorca, Ibiza or Barcelona.”