Young Striker for National Team Shuffle: Nagelsmann Changes Tactics Following Woltemade's Impressive Debut
Nagelsmann abandons initial scheme involving Sturmer and Woltemade
Facebook Twitter Whatsapp E-Mail Print Copy Link Germany's coach Julian Nagelsmann commends Stuttgart's rising talent Nick Woltemade on his solid performance against Portugal. Initially, he was considered for the U21 team, but the newly-promoted player remains with the A-team squad.
Germany's U21 team is preparing for the European Championships, scheduled from June 11th to the 28th in Slovakia. Stuttgart's youngster Nick Woltemade, 23, was expected to spearhead the team led by coach Antonio Di Salvo, given his potential to secure the coveted title. However, internal discussions have led to a change of plan – Woltemade will first join the A-team for the UEFA Nations League third-place playoff against Spain or France in Stuttgart on Sunday.
Previously, Nagelsmann had hinted that Woltemade would be moving to the U21 squad after their Nations League semifinal loss to Portugal. Nagelsmann stated, “We will probably give him to the U21” during his press conference after the game [1]. However, this decision has been reconsidered, and Woltemade now stays with the senior team for additional experiences around the international stage.
The reshuffle reflects the German FA's strategic intent to develop Woltemade further, who exhibited remarkable abilities during his debut performance. With the 2026 World Cup in view, Woltemade is one of the rising talents with great potential [2][3].
Sports Kimmich on Disappointing Result: "Many things very bad"
The defeat against Portugal was a challenging experience for Woltemade, who found it difficult to break through Portugal's defense as the central striker during his debut. Nevertheless, he displayed promising signs, attempting a scoring opportunity in the 19th minute, only to see his shot saved by the Portugal goalkeeper.
Nagelsmann expressed satisfaction with Woltemade's performance. "For a first game, it was okay," he said, "I don't want to evaluate that too much. A young player has so many things coming at him." The coach added, "He used the first 60 minutes as an A national player well."
Sources: ntv.de, tno/dpa
- Nick Woltemade
- DFB
- Julian Nagelsmann
- UEFA Nations League
- European Championships
The Community policy and Employment policy of the DFB may need to be reviewed in light of the unexpected promotion of Nick Woltemade to the A-team squad, a decision that contradicts earlier employment policy expectations. Meanwhile, the revised strategy aligns with the DFB's sports-analysis, focusing on the development of Nick Woltemade as one of Germany's rising football talents for the 2026 World Cup.
