When the German national team was eliminated in the qualifying round for the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, various questions and feelings of surprise arose in the public space. Moreover, Germany lost 2-1 in the top qualifying match to the Japanese national team in quite a dramatic and painful way.
The team known as the Panzer Team seems to have lost its edge in the eyes of world football. Germany, which played closely with an organized, tight and disciplined style of play, collapsed in front of the Japanese national team.
The profile of the German national team, which has won the World Cup four times, seems to be buried.
The situation of the German national team, which fell at the 2022 World Cup, does not seem to have improved. From the last five matches, the team coached by young coach Julian Nagelsmann recorded two wins, two defeats and one draw.
The two defeats occurred in two consecutive matches against Turkey and Austria in November last year. Looking at the results of the matches that Germany has played, it seems that Germany’s strength is not yet stable. In fact, if you look at the composition of the German squad, this team is still something to be reckoned with on the European and world stage.
Therefore, there are doubts about the German national team’s progress in the 2024 European Cup. Even though Germany has the status of host, it is not certain that Germany will be able to say much against the strength of opposing teams such as France and England, which have a fairly complete and high-quality squad composition.
The recruitment of Nagelsmann, on the one hand, is a fairly brave path taken by the German football body. Nagelsmann, who is still 36 years old, has no experience coaching the national team. Naglesmann’s experience only comes from club level when he coached RB Leipzig and Bayern Munich.
The advantage of choosing Nagelsmann is that he comes from Germany. His formation and knowledge of football are firmly embedded in German culture.
Several of the players in the German squad are already known to him and have accompanied him at club level. Inevitably, steps to give the best can happen even though Nagelsmann has minimal experience in the context of the national team.
Germany will host the 2024 European Cup. The tournament, which will take place from 14 June – 14 July 2024, will be an arena that will test the strength of Germany, which will act as host.
Being in group A with Scotland, Switzerland and Hungary, Germany cannot take their opponents lightly. The real burden is on Germany, which has the status of being the host, because high expectations have risen to the surface amidst the team’s unstable performance.
Germany’s challenge is to give their best performance as hosts in front of their own supporters. This challenge needs to be enlightened by Germany appearing convincingly in friendly matches.
In two friendly matches during the international break this week, Germany will play against France and the Netherlands. These two teams are considered strengths in mainland Europe.
The choice of playing with two teams was the right choice to test the squad put together by Nagelsmann. Moreover, Nagelsmann did not hesitate to call Toni Kross. This veteran player who is active at Real Madrid seems to have come down from the mountains to help Nagelsmann’s project in facing the 2024 European Cup.
By including Kross, who has actually hung up his boots from the national team, Nagelsmann actually still has great trust in senior players. Apart from Kross, Nagelsmann also has high hopes for veteran goalkeeper Manuel Neuer rather than Marc-Andre Ter Stegen.
Despite his great trust in senior players, Nagelsmann also wants to take advantage of the quality of a duo of young players who are currently rising in popularity in Europe, namely Jamal Musiala and Florain Wirtz.
Musiala, who plays with Bayern Munich and Wirtz with the current leaders of the German Bundesliga, Bayer Leverkusen, could be Germany’s weapon to appear convincing.
Musiala appeared solid with Munich and seems irreplaceable by Thomas Tuechel. Musiala has recorded 10 goals and 5 assists from 21 matches with Munich in the German Bundesliga.
Meanwhile, Wirtz is coach Xabi Alonso’s mainstay. Unmitigated, Wirtz, who plays the role of attacking midfielder, has recorded 7 goals and 10 assists in 26 matches with Leverkusen.
Therefore, Germany’s biggest challenge depends on Nagelsmann in assembling his squad of both young and senior players. In general, Germany has quality players who appear stable and convincing in European clubs.
Germany’s biggest task to be a convincing host falls on Nagelsmann’s shoulders so that a team full of quality players can appear convincing when playing in front of their own supporters.
Two friendly matches against France and the Netherlands this week will be a test for the German national team, as well as seeing to what extent Nagelsmann’s ingredients have an impact on Germany.
ASL
