Since the World Cup began June 11, soccer fans have gathered at their favorite haunts across Atlanta to cheer their teams to victory.

On Wednesday, July 7, members of Atlanta's German community - faces painted with the red, gold and black of the German flag, tall beers in hand - converged on Ormsby's on Howell Mill Road.

The pub is in the same building as the German American Chamber of Commerce of the Southern U.S. and has become the Atlanta base for Germany's World Cup campaign.

With high spirits, the German faithful sought to root their home team past Spain, the last hurdle on the road to the finals, where the unsung team from the Netherlands awaited after besting Uruguay in their semifinal match.

The German fans' fervor - with flags pasted on cars and draped around shoulders of viewers - shows how football fever has had a unifying effect for German communities everywhere, said Kristian Wolf, the chamber president.

"It really is German communities all over the world that are building spirit," Mr. Wolf told GlobalAtlanta. "It's really like having a Super Bowl every four years. It's been phenomenal, the response that we've gotten, and obviously the performance of the German team inspired us to get together on a great day like we have today and hopefully we can win."

But despite the best advice and the well-wishes of the Atlanta fans, who recommended solutions including better ball control and more hussle, it just wasn't to be.

Spain scored on a corner kick in the second half and stopped a late German onslaught to preserve a fragile 1-0 victory.

Though the championship slipped out of reach, all is not lost. Atlanta's German fans have one more chance to cheer at Ormsby's as Germany faces Uruguay in the third place match on Saturday, July 10, at 2:30 p.m.

To get a feel for the atmosphere at Ormsby's check out the above video.

As the tournament winds down and heats up, there are other opportunities to celebrate the world's largest soccer shindig. 

The Atlanta International Soccer Fest, a fundraising campaign also designed to raise awareness of Atlanta's efforts to land the World Cup tournament in 2018 or 2022, will hold a closing celebration Friday, July 9, at the W Hotel at 3377 Peachtree Road in Buckhead.

Tickets are $20 if purchased in advance, $25 at the door. Proceeds benefit SOS Children's Villages, a non-profit group that provides homes for orphans and neglected children worldwide. Click here for more information.

The fest is organized by the South African-American Chamber of Commerce and the German American chamber.

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