Mannschaft

Mannschaft is a German noun meaning "team" or "squad." It refers to a group of people who work, play, or train together, usually with a common purpose. The word derives from Mann ("man") plus the suffix -schaft, which forms nouns representing collectives or associations. In everyday use, Mannschaft can describe teams in sports, work groups, or other organized crews.

In sports, it is commonly used to refer to the team that competes, not just the players but the collective entity including staff and coaching. The term can denote the roster, the playing squad, or the unit as a whole, and it is adaptable to various athletic disciplines.

"Die Mannschaft" is a widely used nickname for the German national football team. The phrase gained particular prominence around the 2010 World Cup and was popularized during the 2014 World Cup victory. When used as a proper noun, Die Mannschaft is capitalized and often treated as a single unit.

Beyond football, Mannschaft applies to any organized team, such as a workplace team, a military unit, or a sailing crew. Related terms include Nationalmannschaft for national teams, and Kader for a squad or roster selected for competition.