Mannschaft fanfic rec list
So, after reading meretricula's lovely if Mannschaft-lacking rec list, I got inspired to make my own, focusing as I always do on the Germans. All of my recs will be in English (which severely limits my scope, I know) as I don't speak German at all. Many fics, like much of the English-speaking German NT slash fandom itself, will be focused on pairings that existed primarily in 2006 or so, so if you are new to the football party and get confused, just let me know and I'll try to help!
This is a work in progress, by the way, and will be regularly updated as I find more fic (I'm hoping for once a week, but we will see). Feel free to recommend things to me!
For those of you who really want more:
footballslash is the general football slash community. You will have to sift for your Germans, but the tags exist for a reason, and the comm overall is fairly active.
world_cup_slash was quite fantastic back in '06 and handily has tags for each NT, but I haven't checked up on it much since.
manndecker is specifically for the Germans (as well as Bundesliga slash), but is somewhat less active.
The Germans have also had a significant presence at footballkink.
For those who need to be educated on the history of the "classic pairings", here are some (old) OTP promotion posts, which include history, picspam, and fic recommendations. All posts are from the 2006 pre-World Cup "OTP Promotion Week" at footballslash, except for the second Metzelly one which is from manndecker in 2008. Please recall that these pairings have changed significantly sense due to various club shuffles. (Hint, hint to anyone who wants to update these posts to the current decade!)
Metzelly: Intro 1, Intro 2
Grand OTP (Ballack/Frings): Intro
Schweinski: Intro
Snuglies (Lahm/Hildebrand): Intro
Notes: I am a sucker for good angst, well-written PWP, delightful characterizations, attention to detail, usage of actual football gameplay as story elements, and slashers who don't ignore WAGs and believe in the possibility of bisexual footballers. Recs are in no particular order, placed rather haphazardly into vague categories, and pairing is not mentioned when the title mentions characters involved. I have also not directly warned for NC-17, though I will do so if requested.
Updated August 7: clarified "where to go for more" section; inquired about pairing Germans with non-Germans; added "do not let the hero in your soul perish", "Joy" and "Bliss", "Never Accept Drinks from Mario Gómez", and "Per Sex is Happy Sex".
***
AUs
Rebuilding Lukas by wispykitty (Schweinski, other classic pairings in background)
I firmly believe you are not a Schweinski fan until you've stayed up far too late in the night devouring this fic. Lukas is injured in a game soon after World Cup 2006 and has to reteach his body how to do everything; Bastian is there as a friend and helper at his side - at first. Kat is amazingly detail-oriented and sets up scenes ranging from water therapy to football games to hilarious boys' nights out flawlessly and realistically. She is also one of the very few slash writers who doesn't fully make WAGs disappear - while Monika doesn't exist in this story due to plot concerns, Daniela (Bastian's old girlfriend from the time period) is a major character and dealing with her is an important plot point. Even better for those of you who start reading now, Kat is working on finally finishing it after three years' hiatus, so we may see the ending sometime in the near future!
Three Ways Bastian Schweinsteiger and Lukas Podolski Didn't Meet by ninamalfoy
The title is pretty self-explainatory: three different scenarios, all exactly as likely or unlikely as being called up to the senior squad together at the age of twenty and clicking on the spot. The first, finding internet friends, will be very near and dear to anyone in fandom; the second is an unlikely but lovely WWII scenario; the third is your classic bar scene. They couldn't be more different, except for the fact that no matter the scenario, Bastian and Lukas shine through, personalities, hometowns, and love of football intact.
Generally Good Stuff
Subcurrents by ninamalfoy (Metzelly)
One amazing, lovely premise: what if only one of them is gay? Christoph Metzelder "walks the other shore" while Sebastian Kehl does not, but will this realization make or break their friendship? This hits all of my sweet spots - it is honest in its realism, in the confusion Kehl feels, in the mix of emotions between wanting to be there for your friend and wanting to be honest to yourself and to your relationship. And the writing itself flows so elegantly it's hard to resist. Warning to those of you who just hopped onto the Mannschaft scene in 2010: Sebastian Kehl is routinely nicknamed 'Basti' in this and other 2006-era football fics, which may confuse those of you who call Bastian Schweinsteiger by the same nickname. Let's just say the 'Schweini' nickname had its purpose in its time!
Being Young and Famous is Not a Consolation Prize by conspiire (Müller gen)
Again with perfect characterization and attention to detail, a gen fic about Thomas' memories from World Cup 2010. It truly captures the ups and downs of watching their success, the pride bordering on arrogance that only a twenty year old future legend could show, and the mixture of anger at disappointment at a crushing loss. Plus, there is a note involved titled "Why I Must Have Sex With You" that is sent to Mark van Bommel. Trust me, you want to know.
do not let the hero in your soul perish by gdgdbaby (Özil gen, Özil/Klose if you REALLY squint)
An alternate World Cup we wished for (i.e. a Holland/Germany final); Mesut gets hurt and the rest of the team steps it up. The POVs are constantly shifting, but it's not confusing, in no small part because each section begins with a number to match said view. Wohlfarht becomes my favorite member of the medical staff for a reason, Klose is very sweetly protective, and Müller starts the fight everyone else wants to start but is afraid to (which I think is incredibly appropriate). I love how you can feel the teamgeist, you can feel each member doing what they can to protect Mesut and ensure victory in one way or another. That and the last line is quite, quite fabulous.
Bliss and Joy by lennongirl (Grand OTP)
An amazing night gets better, twice over. *sighs happily* Fics like this make me miss 2006; the carefree nature, the fun, the "team parents" known as Ballack and Frings. It's wonderfully written, and happens to (convincingly) pull off second person POV, which is difficult. For me, this fic exemplifies the things that make this OTP so different from the rest - they are older, and more experienced, and married with children, and while parts of them know better, the other part doesn't care because the attraction is honestly irresistible.
Three Acts by twirlability (Snuglies)
Timo leaving Stuttgart, leaving Germany, makes Philipp remember. This is pretty much exactly how I imagine how they are - the distance hurt like fuck, but they knew that all the moving around was good for their professional careers, so what was there to say? But their time together has memories, both hot and sweet. And the last paragraph? Gorgeously written, honest and happy and mmph.
Blind Date and No More Tears by mauern_entzwei (Müller/Badstuber)
Holger learns about himself, and about his dear friend Thomas, partially by accident. And one rainy night, the tone completely changes. The dialogue in these is wonderful (and often hilarious), and I love Thomas' amazing self-confidence in the face of a completely and utterly confused Holger in Blind Date. And No More Tears, well...I don't want to give anything away, but trust me when I say it's more of the same, ramped up in every possible way. And the sex (for there is sex), it is GOOD. It is hot and thrilling and you can really feel the rush of emotions.
Unexpected Experiences by mauern_entzwei (L. Müller/T. Müller/Badstuber)
Just when Thomas and Holger think they have a night to themselves, Lisa comes in to turn everything on its head. I told you I have a weakness for bisexual footballers and WAG inclusion, didn't I? Lisa here is just on this side of dominant, and yet again, we see the intense and lovely change of emotions that only a truly bizarre situation could provide. I'm also really thrilled to see someone enter the mind of a gay man touching a woman and enjoying it for reasons that have nothing to do with his own pleasure. And once again, the dialogue is hilarious and the sex is fantastic.
Guilty Pleasures and Shorter Fics (PWP, crack, Five Things, etc)
Ghost in the Machine by spdfg (Pure Mannschaft sexy crack)
So how can the Germans really run like a well-oiled machine? Loew here is amazingly crafty, but only for the good of the team, of course. And in case you were wondering why Philipp is the captain, well, here you go. (It's perfect, by the way.) This is such great hilarious, fun crack, it's hard to resist.
Quid Pro Quo (in parts: One, Two, Three, and Four) by an anon at footballkink (crack Lahm/Löw)
Confession time: I wrote the prompt that inspired this fic, which basically says that Lahm got the captaincy because he put out first. The result is smart and funny and just a little bit sexy - a scheming, decisive Lahm, unsuspected due to his sweet smiles and general disposition, manipulating Löw exactly where he wants him. I love this characterization, this fierceness hidden under bright, sunny smiles and fluffy hair, and even though the whole concept's kind of cracky I can't resist it anyway.
Never Accept Drinks from Mario Gómez from an anon at footballkink (Girl!Schweinski, crack+PWP)
Yes, you read that right - Bastian and Lukas have been turned into girls. Really amazingly sexy girls, at that - and what's one to do but take advantage? Well-written, sexy, and amusing as only the Schweinski can do it, plus a very, very amusing ending.
Five things that will never be the same again for Timo and Phil by manuanya
So ingenious and so much fun! And sexy, too (if you think #1 is ingeniously sexy, just wait for #4). #2 will break the heart of any 2006-era Mannschaft fan. (And I must say, all of the things in the Lahm/Hildebrand tag at fragileyellows are worth reading for a Snuglies fan, but that's a lot of small things to link to, and this one is honestly my favorite of them.)
Five Days in the Life of Metze's Couch by penguin_attie (Metzelly)
Um, it's in the point of view of a horribly upholstered Ikea couch that lived in Christoph Metzelder's attic as a child. It's as hilarious as it sounds, and I love peeking into Metze's childhood and adolescence.
Shoot to Thill by first_touch (Snuglies)
Now this is pretty much the purest form of PWP there is; there is no scene other than the smut scene. But damn, is it a good one: mildly kinky, while still being loving and sweet, and overall so very very hot. The writing is amazingly descriptive and expressive in the best way possible.
Per Sex is Happy Sex by an anon at footballkink (Mertesacker/Lahm)
Again with purest-form of PWP, except instead of sweet and steamy we have steamy with a generous side of humor. Can I love a fic just for being hilarious? Per is so deadpan and eager and wonderfully strange, and like Philipp, we can't help but be endeared to it.
***
Oh! An important question: would people appreciate it if I included fic that only involved one Mannschaft member? These are usually club-based (as opposed to national team-based) fic and include things like Lehmann/Ljungberg, Lahm/Hargreaves (which sort of breaks my Snuglies heart), and Ballack/Shevchenko (or, from the looks of Ballack's tag at footballslash, Ballack/any Chelsea member...) What do you all think?
This is a work in progress, by the way, and will be regularly updated as I find more fic (I'm hoping for once a week, but we will see). Feel free to recommend things to me!
For those of you who really want more:
footballslash is the general football slash community. You will have to sift for your Germans, but the tags exist for a reason, and the comm overall is fairly active.
world_cup_slash was quite fantastic back in '06 and handily has tags for each NT, but I haven't checked up on it much since.
manndecker is specifically for the Germans (as well as Bundesliga slash), but is somewhat less active.
The Germans have also had a significant presence at footballkink.
For those who need to be educated on the history of the "classic pairings", here are some (old) OTP promotion posts, which include history, picspam, and fic recommendations. All posts are from the 2006 pre-World Cup "OTP Promotion Week" at footballslash, except for the second Metzelly one which is from manndecker in 2008. Please recall that these pairings have changed significantly sense due to various club shuffles. (Hint, hint to anyone who wants to update these posts to the current decade!)
Metzelly: Intro 1, Intro 2
Grand OTP (Ballack/Frings): Intro
Schweinski: Intro
Snuglies (Lahm/Hildebrand): Intro
Notes: I am a sucker for good angst, well-written PWP, delightful characterizations, attention to detail, usage of actual football gameplay as story elements, and slashers who don't ignore WAGs and believe in the possibility of bisexual footballers. Recs are in no particular order, placed rather haphazardly into vague categories, and pairing is not mentioned when the title mentions characters involved. I have also not directly warned for NC-17, though I will do so if requested.
Updated August 7: clarified "where to go for more" section; inquired about pairing Germans with non-Germans; added "do not let the hero in your soul perish", "Joy" and "Bliss", "Never Accept Drinks from Mario Gómez", and "Per Sex is Happy Sex".
***
AUs
Rebuilding Lukas by wispykitty (Schweinski, other classic pairings in background)
I firmly believe you are not a Schweinski fan until you've stayed up far too late in the night devouring this fic. Lukas is injured in a game soon after World Cup 2006 and has to reteach his body how to do everything; Bastian is there as a friend and helper at his side - at first. Kat is amazingly detail-oriented and sets up scenes ranging from water therapy to football games to hilarious boys' nights out flawlessly and realistically. She is also one of the very few slash writers who doesn't fully make WAGs disappear - while Monika doesn't exist in this story due to plot concerns, Daniela (Bastian's old girlfriend from the time period) is a major character and dealing with her is an important plot point. Even better for those of you who start reading now, Kat is working on finally finishing it after three years' hiatus, so we may see the ending sometime in the near future!
Three Ways Bastian Schweinsteiger and Lukas Podolski Didn't Meet by ninamalfoy
The title is pretty self-explainatory: three different scenarios, all exactly as likely or unlikely as being called up to the senior squad together at the age of twenty and clicking on the spot. The first, finding internet friends, will be very near and dear to anyone in fandom; the second is an unlikely but lovely WWII scenario; the third is your classic bar scene. They couldn't be more different, except for the fact that no matter the scenario, Bastian and Lukas shine through, personalities, hometowns, and love of football intact.
Generally Good Stuff
Subcurrents by ninamalfoy (Metzelly)
One amazing, lovely premise: what if only one of them is gay? Christoph Metzelder "walks the other shore" while Sebastian Kehl does not, but will this realization make or break their friendship? This hits all of my sweet spots - it is honest in its realism, in the confusion Kehl feels, in the mix of emotions between wanting to be there for your friend and wanting to be honest to yourself and to your relationship. And the writing itself flows so elegantly it's hard to resist. Warning to those of you who just hopped onto the Mannschaft scene in 2010: Sebastian Kehl is routinely nicknamed 'Basti' in this and other 2006-era football fics, which may confuse those of you who call Bastian Schweinsteiger by the same nickname. Let's just say the 'Schweini' nickname had its purpose in its time!
Being Young and Famous is Not a Consolation Prize by conspiire (Müller gen)
Again with perfect characterization and attention to detail, a gen fic about Thomas' memories from World Cup 2010. It truly captures the ups and downs of watching their success, the pride bordering on arrogance that only a twenty year old future legend could show, and the mixture of anger at disappointment at a crushing loss. Plus, there is a note involved titled "Why I Must Have Sex With You" that is sent to Mark van Bommel. Trust me, you want to know.
do not let the hero in your soul perish by gdgdbaby (Özil gen, Özil/Klose if you REALLY squint)
An alternate World Cup we wished for (i.e. a Holland/Germany final); Mesut gets hurt and the rest of the team steps it up. The POVs are constantly shifting, but it's not confusing, in no small part because each section begins with a number to match said view. Wohlfarht becomes my favorite member of the medical staff for a reason, Klose is very sweetly protective, and Müller starts the fight everyone else wants to start but is afraid to (which I think is incredibly appropriate). I love how you can feel the teamgeist, you can feel each member doing what they can to protect Mesut and ensure victory in one way or another. That and the last line is quite, quite fabulous.
Bliss and Joy by lennongirl (Grand OTP)
An amazing night gets better, twice over. *sighs happily* Fics like this make me miss 2006; the carefree nature, the fun, the "team parents" known as Ballack and Frings. It's wonderfully written, and happens to (convincingly) pull off second person POV, which is difficult. For me, this fic exemplifies the things that make this OTP so different from the rest - they are older, and more experienced, and married with children, and while parts of them know better, the other part doesn't care because the attraction is honestly irresistible.
Three Acts by twirlability (Snuglies)
Timo leaving Stuttgart, leaving Germany, makes Philipp remember. This is pretty much exactly how I imagine how they are - the distance hurt like fuck, but they knew that all the moving around was good for their professional careers, so what was there to say? But their time together has memories, both hot and sweet. And the last paragraph? Gorgeously written, honest and happy and mmph.
Blind Date and No More Tears by mauern_entzwei (Müller/Badstuber)
Holger learns about himself, and about his dear friend Thomas, partially by accident. And one rainy night, the tone completely changes. The dialogue in these is wonderful (and often hilarious), and I love Thomas' amazing self-confidence in the face of a completely and utterly confused Holger in Blind Date. And No More Tears, well...I don't want to give anything away, but trust me when I say it's more of the same, ramped up in every possible way. And the sex (for there is sex), it is GOOD. It is hot and thrilling and you can really feel the rush of emotions.
Unexpected Experiences by mauern_entzwei (L. Müller/T. Müller/Badstuber)
Just when Thomas and Holger think they have a night to themselves, Lisa comes in to turn everything on its head. I told you I have a weakness for bisexual footballers and WAG inclusion, didn't I? Lisa here is just on this side of dominant, and yet again, we see the intense and lovely change of emotions that only a truly bizarre situation could provide. I'm also really thrilled to see someone enter the mind of a gay man touching a woman and enjoying it for reasons that have nothing to do with his own pleasure. And once again, the dialogue is hilarious and the sex is fantastic.
Guilty Pleasures and Shorter Fics (PWP, crack, Five Things, etc)
Ghost in the Machine by spdfg (Pure Mannschaft sexy crack)
So how can the Germans really run like a well-oiled machine? Loew here is amazingly crafty, but only for the good of the team, of course. And in case you were wondering why Philipp is the captain, well, here you go. (It's perfect, by the way.) This is such great hilarious, fun crack, it's hard to resist.
Quid Pro Quo (in parts: One, Two, Three, and Four) by an anon at footballkink (crack Lahm/Löw)
Confession time: I wrote the prompt that inspired this fic, which basically says that Lahm got the captaincy because he put out first. The result is smart and funny and just a little bit sexy - a scheming, decisive Lahm, unsuspected due to his sweet smiles and general disposition, manipulating Löw exactly where he wants him. I love this characterization, this fierceness hidden under bright, sunny smiles and fluffy hair, and even though the whole concept's kind of cracky I can't resist it anyway.
Never Accept Drinks from Mario Gómez from an anon at footballkink (Girl!Schweinski, crack+PWP)
Yes, you read that right - Bastian and Lukas have been turned into girls. Really amazingly sexy girls, at that - and what's one to do but take advantage? Well-written, sexy, and amusing as only the Schweinski can do it, plus a very, very amusing ending.
Five things that will never be the same again for Timo and Phil by manuanya
So ingenious and so much fun! And sexy, too (if you think #1 is ingeniously sexy, just wait for #4). #2 will break the heart of any 2006-era Mannschaft fan. (And I must say, all of the things in the Lahm/Hildebrand tag at fragileyellows are worth reading for a Snuglies fan, but that's a lot of small things to link to, and this one is honestly my favorite of them.)
Five Days in the Life of Metze's Couch by penguin_attie (Metzelly)
Um, it's in the point of view of a horribly upholstered Ikea couch that lived in Christoph Metzelder's attic as a child. It's as hilarious as it sounds, and I love peeking into Metze's childhood and adolescence.
Shoot to Thill by first_touch (Snuglies)
Now this is pretty much the purest form of PWP there is; there is no scene other than the smut scene. But damn, is it a good one: mildly kinky, while still being loving and sweet, and overall so very very hot. The writing is amazingly descriptive and expressive in the best way possible.
Per Sex is Happy Sex by an anon at footballkink (Mertesacker/Lahm)
Again with purest-form of PWP, except instead of sweet and steamy we have steamy with a generous side of humor. Can I love a fic just for being hilarious? Per is so deadpan and eager and wonderfully strange, and like Philipp, we can't help but be endeared to it.
***
Oh! An important question: would people appreciate it if I included fic that only involved one Mannschaft member? These are usually club-based (as opposed to national team-based) fic and include things like Lehmann/Ljungberg, Lahm/Hargreaves (which sort of breaks my Snuglies heart), and Ballack/Shevchenko (or, from the looks of Ballack's tag at footballslash, Ballack/any Chelsea member...) What do you all think?