German luge athlete Max Langenhan celebrated the biggest triumph of his career at Milano Cortina 2026, but a missed call almost overshadowed the moment.
Following his dominant victory in the men’s singles luge event, Olympic champion Max Langenhan experienced a slight mishap – and it involved German Chancellor Friedrich Merz. The 26-year-old revealed in an Instagram video after securing gold in the team relay that the Chancellor attempted to congratulate him personally just days prior.
After his success on Sunday evening, an unknown number appeared on Langenhan’s phone in the early hours of the morning while he waited for his shuttle. Because he was engrossed in watching a congratulatory video from reality stars Carmen and Robert Geiss and hadn’t saved the number, “I dismissed the call. And it turned out: that was Friedrich Merz,” Langenhan explained.
Langenhan quickly apologized. “Dear Friedrich. Uh, Mr. Chancellor. I am very sorry. Maybe we can still manage to talk on the phone in the next few days,” Langenhan said with a laugh.
