Horst Hrubesch

The HSV has achieved promotion to the Bundesliga at its seventh attempt. Hamburg fans are frenetically celebrating the return of coach Merlin Polzin's team. This marks the end of the club's ordeal in the 2. Bundesliga. After being dramatically thwarted at times just moments before reaching their desired goal, the team kept a cool head this time and sent the Hanseatic city into ecstasies with their 6-1 victory at the Volksparkstadion against SSV Ulm. The women's team of Hamburger SV also achieved promotion to the Bundesliga just one day after the men's team – the perfect setting for a boisterous celebration at Hamburg's Rathausmarkt.

“Being Jérôme Boateng” tells the story of a soccer world champion between triumph and downfall. From the soccer field to the 2014 World Cup title, from celebrated symbol of integration to convicted perpetrator of intentional bodily harm against his ex-partner. The documentary series looks behind the façade of professional soccer—a system that produces heroes but neglects people. It also addresses the question of how a soccer player is stylized into a role model by the media and society and burdened with excessive expectations. Boateng's story is thus also one of false projections that encourages us to reflect on our treatment of and longing for sports idols: What do we want to see in them? Do soccer players have to be heroes?

As a player, the former “Kopfballungeheuer” Horst Hrubesch is a legend; as a coach, he has a special knack for talents, accompanies future world champions on their way and celebrates great successes with various DFB teams.