Nagelsmann Musters Up Moxie, Seeks to Conquer Nations League Amidst Squad Injuries
Coach Nagelsmann faces numerous challenges ahead, no room for justifications.
The Nations League finals are just around the corner. The German national football team, despite being hit hard by injuries, is surprisingly optimistic. After all, it's all about setting the stage for the 2026 World Cup.
Julian Nagelsmann, the team's coach, could have pleaded innocent, citing the lack of key players like Kai Havertz, Jamal Musiala, Antonio Rüdiger, and more, who have been instrumental to the team since last summer. But Nagelsmann is determined, calling for a "Titlechen" mission before the upcoming match against Portugal in the Nations League finals (9:00 PM/ZDF, DAZN, and in the ntv.de live ticker).
Nagelsmann could have played coy, saying, "We'll see how it goes" or "Anything can happen." But when asked by a school newspaper in Herzogenaurach which title he'd most like to win, he retorted, "All of them." He elaborated on the Champions League, the World Cup trophy, and surprisingly, the Nations League trophy — a title even experts might struggle to pick out in a photo.
For Nagelsmann, this competition is the next logical step towards the 2026 World Cup in the USA, Mexico, and Canada — no matter how small the title may seem. The current German national team features an entire generation of players who have yet to taste victory with the national team. Even captain Joshua Kimmich admitted that he's experienced "many lows and highs" in the national team. But Nagelsmann believes that's changing now. "The self-confidence has grown significantly," said Nagelsmann. "But self-confidence and self-belief are both very fragile elements that need to be nurtured and worked on constantly."
"The Whole Country Hopes We'll Take Home the Trophy"
That's the theory. The learning process is apparent. "The whole country hopes we'll take home the trophy," said Niclas Füllkrug. They want to "entertain the fans and send them home with a positive vibe." But Füllkrug, plagued by injuries over the past year, finds himself in a surprising position on the squad. For West Ham, he has scored only three goals in the 18 games he could play.
But Füllkrug is far from the only one feeling a sudden surge of self-confidence. Marc-André ter Stegen, for instance, is finally ending a long period of misfortune. For the first time since the Confederations Cup 2017, he's allowed to tend to the German goal in a tournament. For years, he was the dour number two behind Manuel Neuer, who always managed to be fit for the World and European Championships. But ter Stegen is now living on borrowed time, at risk of losing his spot at FC Barcelona.
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Ter Stegen tore his patellar tendon last September and fought his way back from the serious knee injury. Barcelona coach Hansi Flick only played him twice - and recently, rumors have been swirling in Spain that his club is looking for a new goalkeeper. "That's a situation that has arisen now," said ter Stegen. There are always competitive situations at Barcelona, he explained, acting as if he remained unfazed. Whether he has already talked things over with former national coach Flick? He wouldn't know why.
This discussion could have gone on for much longer: DFB sports director Rudi Völler predicted a "bright future" for Nick Woltemade if he just improved his header game. The transfer drama is no concern for Florian Wirtz, explained the national coach, arguing that he's a fighter. The contract back-and-forth with Leroy Sané? Presumably also immaterial.
And the PSG trio
Normally, such distractions could cause chaos. But the current DFB squad seems unusually pragmatic, a product of the squad's current difficulties. Nagelsmann had planned to start training a double-six with a focus on the World Cup, but his two most promising candidates — Aleksandar Pavlović from FC Bayern and Angelo Stiller from VfB Stuttgart — have barely played together yet. Nagelsmann simply said that he had never expected all players to be available. In his own words, the German national team should be successful, no matter who's playing.
Sport DFB goalkeeper on the market? Ter Stegen responds to departure rumorsBut this isn't just about the German team. Nagelsmann is scrambling for solutions: In the semi-final, Portugal awaits, a team still as star-studded as ever, sending Inter Milan packing from the Champions League final last weekend. The PSG trio of Vitinha, João Neves, and Nuno Mendes are also on board. "That was impressive what they put on the pitch," said ter Stegen. There's Cristiano Ronaldo, the now 40-year-old who's yet to defeat the German national team. Or the creative offensive players surrounding Bernardo Silva, Bruno Fernandes, and Rafael Leao. Many potential excuses lies ahead.
So, Nagelsmann took a proactive approach. Before the international match, he first praised his players on various achievements, emphasizing the strength of the team — injuries or no injuries. "We aim to hold another trophy in our hands by Sunday evening," Nagelsmann declared.
Source: ntv.de
- Football
- DFB
- German national football team
- Nations League
- Munich
- Portugal
The German national football team, amidst their squad injuries, is surprisingly optimistic about the upcoming Nations League finals, as it's an important stepping stone towards the 2026 World Cup. Julian Nagelsmann, the team's coach, seeks to win not only the Nations League trophy but also other titles, including the Champions League and World Cup trophy.
The team's goalkeeper, Marc-André ter Stegen, is also feeling confident, despite the rumors of his potential departure from FC Barcelona. He highlighted the impressive play of Portugal's PSG trio and Cristiano Ronaldo, who has yet to defeat the German national team. Despite various distractions and challenges, the current DFB squad is showing an unusual level of pragmatism and determination.
