Kahn's Latvian heritage revealed

June 17, 2004 20:50 IST

Germany coach Rudi Voeller found out on Thursday that his captain was one quarter Latvian.

"No, I didn't know, nor does it worry me," Voeller said when asked whether he was aware goalkeeper Oliver Kahn had a Latvian grandmother.

Several German newspapers told the story of Kahn's Latvia connection on Thursday, two days before Germany play the Baltic debutants at Euro 2004.

Kahn's grandfather was based in Latvia with the German navy when he married a Latvian woman. Kahn's father was born in Latvia in 1943.

Before the end of World War Two, the family moved to Karlsruhe, Germany, where Oliver Kahn was born in 1969.

"It's true that I have a special relationship with Latvia but I feel German," said Kahn.

"Sorry, there will be no presents on Saturday," he told Germany's next opponents.

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