DFB Team's Tumbleweed Tango: An Unpredictable Fling
- Pen by Castor Stone
- 4 Scorching Minutes
Identities and Count: A Question of Existence and Quantity - Identities and their numerical count, if they do exist.
Football and Dortmund, it's a passionate dance, complete with dramatic twists and turns, raw emotions thriving within the 90 minutes of a ball game.
The summer of '06 saw that abrupt end to the magical dream, a 0:2 World Cup semi-final against Italy, snatched away in the final two minutes of extra time. In 2023, the first game post-Hansi Flick fiasco, Rudi Voeller coached the team to a 2:1 win against France like a seasoned pro who's seen it all before. The flicker of hope that the 2024 EM wouldn't be a disaster was kindled anew.
Fast-forward to the tumultuous 2024, which saw the DFB contest the EM round of 16 against Denmark. The scoreboard read 2:0, but how? Controversial referee decisions and a goal called offside by mere half a millimeter set off debates that would rage on long after the tournament.
The Game of Two Halves, a Heartthrob, and a Haunting
And now, the game on Sunday night: just as captivating, just as nerve-wracking as it gets. It's a rollercoaster we haven't been on since the '90s, a game that will invite much chatter even before the final whistle blows.
The first half was almost dreamlike, with Germany ruling the roost, 3:0 against Italy, European champions of 2021. But the Italian team was an impostor, offering little more than two feeble counters. "We pinned them to the wall," said DFB defender, Nico Schlotterbeck, a statement that understated the situation. Rarely have we seen such a powerful, smart, and passionate display from a German team.
Half-time brought on murmurs of glory, expecting a resemblance to the legendary 7:1 against Brazil from the 2014 World Cup. But like fairytales, this one also had a dark twist.
Italy, the team that had just conceded an own goal due to a collective brain freeze as Joshua Kimmich whipped a corner to Jamal Musiala, turned the tables. Two straightforward goals from Moise Kean, a master of efficiency, and a penalty by Giacomo Raspadori within injury time, left Dortmund in a state of shock. Just like in '06, when Italy dealt a deadly 1:0, followed by a 2:0 - all within two minutes. A deafening silence fell over the stadium. "Would it happen again now?"
The post-match chatter was filled with relief: just the metal scratched, no deeper wounds. And yet, deep down, the players were left pondering: what the hell happened?
Nagelsmann's Grand Theft Revision: Claiming Victory from the Jaws of Defeat
No clear answers surfaced that night, but everyone agreed: this shouldn't happen again. Captain Joshua Kimmich, his voice filled with humility, said, "We still have a lot to learn." Nico Schlotterbeck (need to be more focused), and Antonio Rüdiger (need to play well until the final whistle) echoed the sentiment.
The only one exuding optimism was Julian Nagelsmann. It was a fantastic evening, he claimed, from which he drew three lessons: "We can recover from a deficit" - he referred to the 0:1 deficit in the first leg, which the Germans won 2:1. "We can play phenomenal football." Thirdly: "We learn from games on how to become more stable." Overall: "World-class."
At this, Nagelsmann grabbed the narrative by the reins. He swiftly rebranded the 3:3 as a kind of triumph.
Yet, this victory also raised questions. Nagelsmann has fired up the national team like never before, instilling in them a sense of invincibility. He successfully led the team to victories against France and the Netherlands in March 2024, carrying them through the homestead European Championship, all the way to the quarterfinal against Spain. The 1:2 defeat against the eventual European champions was swiftly brushed aside, thanks to Nagelsmann's persuasive rhetoric.
But just as effortlessly as the team can be ignited by their coach, they can also become shaky, disoriented, and unstable when their rhythm is disrupted by a robust opponent, as demonstrated in the Italy game. Despite appearing solid, powerful, and disciplined in the first half, the national team is still a work in progress. Fueled by a crowd like in Dortmund, they can irrationally fall in love with their own performance, ascending to heights that they might have deemed unreachable. However, they lack a steadfast approach that doesn't rely on emotional highs. Established routines that work regardless of their current state are needed.
The team will need that resilience soon. The Nations League final tournament is slated for early June, with semifinal matches against Portugal and potential final matches against Spain or France. Alas, these games are not scheduled in Dortmund, but in Stuttgart and Munich. Particularly Stuttgart carries less than pleasant memories for the national team, as it was the stage for the lost EM quarterfinal. A great reason for them to rewrite their story in Stuttgart, this time with a happy ending.
- In the chaos of the 2024 European Championship, the DFB team faced Italy in the round of 16, with the game ending in a dramatic 3:3 draw.
- Though some players questioned their performance and the team's stability, Coach Julian Nagelsmann remained optimistic, stating that the team can recover from deficits, play phenomenal football, and learn from their mistakes to become more stable.
- With the Nations League final tournament scheduled for early June against Portugal, Spain, or France, the DFB team will need to establish routines and exhibit resilience to overcome their past failures, especially during their match in Stuttgart, where they lost the EM quarterfinal in 2024.
