San Jose Earthquakes German Night

What an unforgettable day for our GISSV community!

On Saturday, German soccer fans from across the Bay Area came together for a special match at PayPal Park in San Jose, as the San Jose Earthquakes faced the Vancouver Whitecaps FC in an exciting Western Conference clash between the top two teams.

In total, around 300 members of the German Bay Area community filled the fan section, with many more supporters across the stadium joining in to be part of this special evening. Several GISSV families also attended, with some traveling from San Francisco and beyond—including an alumni family visiting from Los Angeles—to share in the experience.

The atmosphere was electric as the Quakes fought hard and secured a 1–1 draw, with the stadium buzzing right up to the final whistle. While former German national team players Timo Werner (now with the Earthquakes) and Thomas Müller (now with the Whitecaps) were unfortunately unable to play, the excitement, energy, and sense of community throughout the night remained truly outstanding.

A highlight for our students was the opportunity to step onto the field to hold the pregame banner, followed by participation in the High-Five Tunnel during halftime—an unforgettable moment at pitch level.

Fun fact: Sebastian Berhalter, who scored Vancouver’s equalizer, is the son of Gregg Berhalter, a former Bundesliga player who spent several years playing in Germany—highlighting the strong football connections between both worlds.

A heartfelt thank you to the San Jose Earthquakes for welcoming our community, and to everyone involved in organizing this special experience for our students and families. We also wish Timo Werner and Thomas Müller a speedy recovery.



Recordings: Amy Erz, Lucas Wessels, Dirk Koehler, Katja Koehler