An Italian man died and another was critically injured at a shoot-out following a row over football in Hanover's red-light district early Monday, dpa reported.
A 42-year old German had argued in a bar with the two Italian nationals over which country had won more World Cup titles, police said. He walked out of the bar, but returned with a gun and shot both Italians in the head.
One of the men, 47, died soon after. The other man, 49, is in a critical condition. Nobody else was injured.
Eye witnesses said the two victims had boasted that Italy had achieved four World Cup victories, once more than Germany.
The perpetrator fled on foot, discarding his gun, which the police found nearby. They were unable to track down the gunman.
The incident, in the middle of Hanover's entertainment district, occurred at around 7:20 am (0520 GMT) in a bar that is open round the clock.