VIDEO. Euro 2024: sunglasses, vintage jersey and saxophone, who is André Schnura, the one who ignites fan zones in Germany ?

Avec son saxophone, il enflamme les fan-zone de l'Euro. dpa – Friso Gentsch

Ses solos de saxophone au milieu de supporters allemands sautillants sont plus viraux que les buts de la Mannschaft : l'Euro 2024 a fait d'un musicien inconnu, André Schnura, une star qui veut unir le pays.

For the round of 16 between Germany and Denmark on Saturday evening in Dortmund, the thirty-year-old met his audience in the fan zone before the match, as he has become accustomed to doing since the start of the competition.

A sign of his new celebrity, his performance was broadcast on the giant screen where the matches are broadcast. Two weeks ago, André Schnura was an almost anonymous saxophonist dividing his time between teaching and local concerts. He had just lost his main employer, a music school where he had been giving lessons for six years.

Then the Euro started and the young man took his saxophone to the cities where the meetings were held to play hits like "Freed from Desire", "Samba de Janeiro" or &quot ;Major Tom", a hit from the 1980s that became the anthem of German supporters. His lively interpretations, among galvanized fans, went viral on social networks, exploding the number of his subscribers on Instagram (441,000) and TikTok (638,000).

"I am completely overwhelmed and infinitely grateful for what is happening right now", wrote André Schnura on Instagram after a first week of high-energy performances, inevitably dressed in a flocked retro Rudi Völler jersey and sunglasses.

"Saving Germany with a saxophone"

A few days later, the messages from the "saxophone guy", as he calls himself, hesitate between humility and messianism: "I would like to use my 5 minutes of fame to remind you of something important. All eyes are still on me, but that won't last forever", he wrote. "We all have worries, fears and uncertainties. (…) we all have within us the aspiration for peace, security and love. We are simply all equal. I would like to remind you to love one another and forgive each other (…)"

We need the saxophone guy playing at the EURO final ceremony 🎷 pic.twitter.com/lzWecx3Teb

— 𝗙𝗜𝗔𝗚𝗢 (@fiago7) June 22, 2024

The appeal seems to find an echo among the crowds who follow his appearances live or online. "I think I speak for everyone when I say that you are doing incredible good for Germany and the Euro with your vibe. Thank you", writes a user. For another, he "is saving Germany with a saxophone".

The mascot of this Euro

If the national team led by Toni Kroos thrills Germany again after qualifying for the first time since Euro 2016 for the quarter-finals of a major competition, the host country is otherwise mired in economic gloom and political worries. The Schnura phenomenon has not escaped the German Football Federation (DFB), nor UEFA, which is now relaying his videos.

The musician has also been noticed by players like striker Niklas Füllkrug who finds him "very cool". Icon Thomas Müller commented proclaiming "Great Job Andre! thank you for your support!". The person concerned declines interview requests, believing that "his music speaks for itself" .

An online petition has been launched for him to perform at the Euro final in Berlin on July 14. Without waiting for the answer, the musical mascot of Euro 2024 has just announced a seven-date tour in the fall under the title "Love is the answer".