Asamoah a symbol of Voller's new vision

In the short period of time that he has been in charge, Germany's coach, Rudi V?ller, much like England's Sven Goran Eriksson, has brought about a remarkable change in both the make-up and fortunes of the German national side.

The older generation of Euro 2000 has given way to the "Sebastian generation," with the likes of the 21-year-olds Sebastian Deisler, of Hertha Berlin, and Sebastian Kehl, of Freiburg, the new wunderkinds at the heart of V?ller's new-look team that is preparing to take on England in Saturday's crucial World Cup qualifier in Munich.

But V?ller's new Germany is also very much symbolised by the emergence of Gerald Asamoah, who became the first black player to appear for the unified German team in the May friendly against Slovakia. Before unification only two black players had ever played for the West German team. The first was the Borussia Dortmund striker Erwin Kostedde in 1974; the second was Jimmy Hartwig of Hamburg in 1979. The fathers of both players were black American soldiers.

Little wonder then that the 22-year-old Asamoah, who was born in Ghana and came to live in Germany 10 years ago – he acquired full citizenship rights just over a year ago in July 2000 – has become a cause c?l?bre in his adopted country. A stocky, powerful yet skilful midfielder, he describes himself as "a fighter, who never gives up. I'm a typical German footballer."

Yet the Asamoah phenomenon is working its magic off the pitch just as much as it is on it and his appearance against Slovakia in Bremen sparked off something of a media frenzy. Newspapers and magazines like Der Spiegel made huge play of what Asamoah's debut signified for his adopted country and the consensus was that his emergence represents a new tolerant Germany that is more at ease with itself.

No wonder then that Asamoah says: "There are many eyes on me at the moment. I'm sure there will be hard times in front of me, but by the grace of God I hope things will be OK."

Indeed the Schalke 04 midfielder, who has since gone on to play a further three times for Germany, has had to navigate his way through a series of interviews where he has been quizzed about what it meant to him to represent Germany. He handled his interrogators with some aplomb, joking that he was "the blackest player ever to play for Germany".

Till Briegleb, a cultural commentator for the Die W?che weekly magazine, who has written about the Asamoah effect, believes he is a hugely significant figure in Germany at the moment as its society wrestles with what nationhood means to a country that has had at times an uneasy relationship to the question of race and immigration. "I think this is an important moment for our country," said Briegleb. "Symbols are always important and Asamoah is an important symbol because the national team is an important symbol.

"There has always been a self-consciousness about nationhood in Germany. I really hope that in the future it will be normal that black players are in the national side and that everybody accepts that black people are part of our society."

Asamoah says he is happy to be that symbol. "I hope that what I have done in my career can help change things in a positive way. I don't want to be the saviour of black people, but I also believe that black people, foreigners or immigrants can do something positive for Germany."

As in England, immigration and the treatment of immigrants is a sensitive subject in Germany, and the Chancellor, Gerhard Schr?der, is currently pursuing a softly-softly approach in changing the country's antiquated immigration laws. At present out of a population of 82 million there are 7.3 million foreigners, a figure which includes two million Turks, many of whom are the children of "guest workers" and who are therefore not eligible to play for Germany.

Currently Mehmet Scholl, through his German mother, is the only player of Turkish descent to feature for Germany. The Bundesliga's only other prominent Turkish players – Yildray Bast?rk of Bayer Leverkusen and Paul Inceman of St Pauli – both play for Turkey.

In Germany, immigrants have not been welcomed with open arms and in the 10 years since unification more than 100 people have been killed in what are termed as "anti-foreigner killings".

Football has not been immune from society's ills. Two years ago Moudachirou Amadou, a player from the West African country of Benin, left Energie Cottbus, a Bundesliga team in East Germany, to go to Karlsruhe, saying he was sick of being racially taunted.

Asamoah himself was subjected to racial abuse at Cottbus – bananas were thrown at him when he played for his first club Hanover 96, five years ago – though he shrugs off the taunts on those big broad shoulders of his. "Personally I think I had it easy. I quickly made friends with Germans and I haven't had too many problems with those people who are against black people or who are against foreigners.

"Sometimes idiots would say things, but I have never had too many problems. I had good friends, who were always at my side. There were always insults, but if someone called me a nigger, I would just turn my back because if I retaliated then I would be the idiot."

Asamoah was born in Mampong, Ghana in 1978. His father, a sports journalist, left to find work – eventually in a car tyre factory – in Germany when Asamoah was one year old. The player's mother followed three years later and Asamoah was looked after by his aunt and grandmother.

He says he played a lot of football in Ghana and that one of the reasons his mother brought him over to live in Germany was to try and stop him playing the game. "Everyone played football in Ghana and we would play wherever we could, even in the street. My mother was always against it as she wanted me to try and do something at school."

His mother's wishes were ultimately foiled. He played even more football in Germany and despite briefly training to be a chef after he had left school at 17, made his debut with the Second Division side Hanover 96, who were then playing in the German Third Division.

In September 1998 a health scare temporarily put Asamoah's career on hold. After a victory over FC St Pauli, he complained of feeling unwell. "I felt very sweaty and dizzy and so I went to the hospital where I was told something was wrong with my heart."

The German Football Association imposed a playing ban on Asamoah and it was not until he went to America, where a specialist diagnosed the problem as less serious than first thought, that he was able to resume playing. Even so, Asamoah has to take medication daily and a defibrillator is kept on the touchline as an extra precaution.

Asamoah's career as a footballer got off the ground when he won promotion with Hanover, but in the summer of 1999 he moved to Schalke 04, where he quickly established himself as a regular in first Rudi Assauer's and now Huub Stevens's side. Last season Schalke finished runners-up to Bayern Munich in the Bundesliga and won the German Cup.

If it is a miracle he is still playing football, it is also something of a miracle that Asamoah is playing for the German national side, as two years ago he was all set to appear for Ghana against Mozambique in an African Nations Cup qualifier. He travelled to Africa but subsequently was not chosen to play. That was when Germany asked him to play for the national team. "I told both countries that I would need time to think about it because it was a difficult decision," said Asamoah. "I was born in Ghana but I had lived in Germany for a long time. I didn't know what to do. I talked to many people and in the end I chose Germany because I spoke the language very well and I have many German friends.

"I also thought it would be better for Schalke because I can be there for them. In the end I thought: 'I'm living in Germany why shouldn't I play for Germany?'

"Many people thought I should play for Ghana but it was my decision to do what I feel best. I think it's the best decision that I have ever taken. It's an honour to play for Germany."

Asamoah, with just four games under his belt, says he would just be grateful to play against England in what he predicts will be a difficult game for Germany. "At this stage of my international career I'm just hoping to play. Things are going well for Germany. We have a new trainer and new young players and we are on a good run. But it will be a hard game. A defensive game because nobody will want to lose."