Don’t give up your job, Harry! Duke of Sussex fails to score a single point in the football competition of the German version of Match of the Day – as he is beaten by the country’s 63-year-old defense minister and forced to wear a local club’s scarf as a forfeit
A humiliated Prince Harry was forced to wear a German scarf on national television after failing to score a single point in the German version of Match of the Day – where he failed to score a single point.
The beleaguered Whites missed six attempts to be beaten by the country’s 63-year-old Defense Minister Boris Pistorius – who only needed his first kick to beat the prince as he cleanly scored two goals in a row.
In return for failing to score points, Harry was jokingly threatened with having to wear a Germany jersey – but the hosts settled for local club FSV Mainz’s scarf when none could be found.
Harry – who is reportedly an Arsenal fan – could risk leaving a bitter taste in his fellow Gunners’ mouths after the team were knocked out of the Champions League by fellow Bundesliga club Bayern Munich in their final competitive appearance.
It came after the Duke of Sussex flew in a private helicopter from the Invictus Games opening ceremony to be a guest on the late-night TV show and help promote the Invictus Games.
In return for failing to score points, Harry was jokingly threatened with having to wear a Germany jersey – but the hosts settled for local club FSV Mainz’s scarf when none could be found. Pictured: Harry with scarf, center, with Defense Minister Boris Pistorius (left) and Invictus Games athlete Angelo Anderson (right)
The Duke of Sussex flew from the Invictus Games opening ceremony in a private helicopter to be a guest on the late night TV show to promote the Invictus Games
To score a point, they had to accurately shoot the ball through the target – a game familiar to fairgoers across the country
The Prince also failed to score points on his second attempt (pictured) – although two tempting misses with shots into the top corner brought him close to victory
He started the biennial games alone in Düsseldorf while his wife Meghan stayed at home in California with their two young children.
She is expected to join him later in the week and attend the graduation ceremony at the Merkur-Spiel Arena.
Singer Rita Ora will perform at the closing event, where both Harry and Meghan will give speeches.
In the show, players were divided into teams where they had to score through small openings in the opponents’ corners of a soccer goal.
To score a point, they had to accurately shoot the ball through the target – a game familiar to fairgoers across the country.
Cheeky question: “What happens to zero?” – The audience applauded when presenter Sven Voss answered: “You have to wear a Germany jersey!”
Although the rest of the cast spoke German, Harry continued to speak in his native language – in sharp contrast to his father King Charles, who was praised in March when he gave a speech partly in German during his first state visit to Berlin as monarch.
The game started poorly for the California-based King, as he performed first and danced while the crowd clapped.
He joked to the people standing near the gate and said, “Maybe you want to move!”
The Prince failed to score a point despite six attempts, while Mr Pistorius scored two points with his first two shots
Although the rest of the cast spoke German, Harry continued to speak his native language – in sharp contrast to his father, King Charles
When Harry and Meghan visited the city a year ago, they were surrounded by enthusiastic fans taking selfies with the couple
But his first shot went straight into the middle and bounced straight back to him.
And his second attempts went no better, with the ball flying just inches to the left and miles away from one of the targets.
His third shot hit closer to the bottom right target – it bounced past Harry as he humbly made way for Mr Pistorius – and he laughed: “That’s nonsense!” as he offered the politician a selection of footballs.
The crowd erupted in raucous cheers as the lawyer quickly fired two balls into the target with his first two shots, scoring two points for the Prince.
The prince was also unable to score any points on his second attempt – although two tempting misses with shots into the top corner brought him close to victory.
Angelo Anderson and Jens Niemeyer – competitors at the Invictus Games – also failed to score any points.
Triumphant host Mr Voss said: “No goals for Prince Harry.”
“We don’t have a Germany jersey.”
Prince Harry speaks during the opening ceremony of the Invictus Games last year
Prince Harry speaks during the opening ceremony of the Invictus Games last year
He took a scarf from an audience member and placed it around his neck instead.
He added: “Prince Harry, this is the local Bundesliga club, Mainz. ‘That looks great!’
When Harry and Meghan visited the city a year ago, they were surrounded by enthusiastic fans taking selfies with the couple.
The adulation came ahead of the publication of his controversial autobiography, Spare, in which he denounced other members of the royal family.
The launch of a documentary series called “Heart of Invictus,” filmed during the Games in The Hague, Netherlands, last year, also included astute commentary about his family.
Harry claimed he lacked any support for his mental health issues stemming from his time in Afghanistan and the death of his mother, Princess Diana.
England has a long-standing rivalry with Germany – the footballing nation has knocked us out of four World Cups in 50 years of defeat since 1966.
And in that golden year, it was West Germany that beat England in the final to become world champions.