Germany victory smacks of optimism, says minister

BERLIN, May 17 (Reuters) Germany's sport minister Wolfgang Schaeuble said he got smacked by his father as a young boy for predicting West Germany would win the 1954 World Cup, and is now again sure the team will win.

''I'm a hopeless optimist,'' said Schaeuble, who is also Germany's interior minister.

''In 1954 I knew we would win and said 'Germany will win the world championship','' he told the weekly newspaper Die Zeit, to be published tomorrow.

But when West Germany fell behind 2-0 to favourites Hungary in the first half, Schaeuble said his father blamed him and smacked him in the face.

''He made me and my optimism responsible for us being behind 2-0 and I cried a lot after that,'' Schaeuble said. ''But I remained optimistic.'' West Germany scored three goals in the second half to win the first of the country's three World Cups.

When asked who would win in 2006, Schaeuble said he was sure Germany would win a fourth championship.

''Naturally -- who else?'' he said.

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