Nagelsmann Regrets Euro 2020 Loss: "That Was the Most Bitter Defeat for Me"
Bitterest Defeat for Nagelsmann, Says Coach Post-Match
Hand it over to social media, scream it loud on Twitter, Whisper it on Whatsapp, Send a heartfelt email, or Print it out - Germany's football national team is back in Stuttgart, facing the bittersweet memories of a crushing loss.
DFB trainer Julian Nagelsmann called the home European Championship quarter-final elimination against Spain as the "most bitter defeat" in his career. "It was a somber day in my football journey," said Nagelsmann, referring to the match against vice-world champion France on Sunday (3:00 PM/RTL, DAZN and in the ntv.de live ticker). The DFB team last played in Stuttgart for the third-place game in the Nations League following their disappointing 1:2 defeat in extra time eleven months ago.
Flashing back to the dramatic European Championship quarter-final, Nagelsmann described the game as high-class and close. In the 51st minute, former Leipzig player Dani Olmo scored for Spain, and it seemed like disaster for Germany. However, just before the end, DFB player Florian Wirtz equalized, giving Germany a temporary glimmer of hope. But alas, the fate of the game was sealed in the 119th minute with a crushing Spanish goal. "It doesn't get any crueler," said Nagelsmann.
Pascal Groß, midfielder, shared the sentiment. "Even though I wasn't part of that game, I can still say that it was the most bitter defeat in my career," said the 33-year-old. He recalled the emotions he felt after Wirtz's crucial equalizer, adding that they had come incredibly close to a massive win. "And that stings, of course," he said.
As the team prepares to face France in the Nations League, both Nagelsmann and Groß maintained that the memories of the Spain game would have "little impact" on the upcoming match. The DFB team aims to end the Nations League final tournament on a positive note. With a loss to Portugal in the semi-finals 1:2 (0:0), they are eager to rebound.
Nagelsmann did hint at some changes in the starting line-up compared to the Portland game, but didn't go into specifics. With Groß also present at the conference, it's likely he will be in the game from the beginning. Nagelsmann also emphasized the need for a performance improvement from his team. "The game still holds many facets," Nagelsmann asserted. "While it's normal for a few percentage points to be missing."
Nagelsmann is confident that his team's motivation won't be a issue: "It's still the German A national team. If I have to motivate them every time in the locker room, then I might need to reconsider the squad. Football is a beautiful game. No one needs to till a field tomorrow."
"Despite the bitter disappointment of Euro 2020, the focus in the community shifts towards the upcoming Nations League match against France. Vocational training can be a way for players to channel their emotions, potentially offering football-related lessons such as sports-analysis to gain insights for the upcoming game."
"In light of the upcoming match, both Nagelsmann and Groß express that the Spain game memories will have minimal impact, yet urge their teammates to use vocational training as a tool to improve their performance and perhaps find a tactical edge in the game, much like sports-analysis would provide for football."
