There seems to be no truth to the rumor that, before today's Germany-Greece match, the the referee will use a Drachma for the coin toss. But before we go any further, let me remind everyone that this match has been played before:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ta1KfRX06kA
The political/economic background is what everyone is focusing on today, with the Greeks angry about the Germans refusing to work until the age of 75 so that they can retire in comfort in their 40's. Or something.
The Greeks are broke, the Germans have money. The former thinks the Germans want to see them all reduced to eating cat food. The latter sees the Greeks as spendthrift Brothers-in-Law who ought to give up the whole "Selling Light Sticks and Weed at Concerts" gig and get a real job.
Greek news outlets, apparently unaware of Godwin's Law, seem to be conducting a contest to find the best photoshopped picture of Angela Merkel as Adolf Hitler.
As for the Germans, their attitude is neatly summed up by this British cartoon:
The news that Merkel will attend the match has generated the expectation that there'll be Booing-a-Plenty. I'm hoping someone gets a decibel reading to compare with the reception Sepp Blatter will receive when he appears at the final.
All of this aside, the only question that really matters to those of us who don't have money on the line is "Do the players really care that much about all of this?"
Is this going to be an international monetary grudge match, or just business as usual for two groups of rather well paid professional athletes who are unlikely to end up in line at a soup kitchen regardless of what happens.