Germans still sulking over 5-1 defeat

Berlin - Germany's Bild newspaper called England bad winners on Tuesday, expressing outrage at German goalkeeper Oliver Kahn's gloves burning in a death notice for German football on the front page of Britain's Mirror tabloid.

"The mega-beastly demonstration of how mean and unfair the English are," the top-selling daily wrote in a front-page piece, under a picture of the burning gloves.

"The mean English kick us when we're down," read the headline.

Referring to England's 5-1 victory in a World Cup qualifier at the weekend - Germany's worst home defeat in 70 years - the paper said: "Of course we expected mockery and derision. After all, we know what English black humour is.

"But that goes too far! Much too far!" Bild protested.

German tabloid reaction has in the past few days been characterised by expressions of horror and despair at the historic defeat of their national team.

But now Bild seems to have had enough of the English celebrating the death of German football.

"In England they should remember that Germany has also won lots of games," the newspaper said.

In another article in Tuesday's Bild, the daily listed nine sports, including rowing and ski jumping, where they said Germany were better than England, saying:

"The English are still celebrating their 5-1 victory in Munich. But there are enough sports where we are better." - Reuters