A Showdown in Germany: Kimmich's 100th - Germany's Historic Supremacy Over Portugal
Germany's Player Kimmich Valued at 100 - Impressive Portugal Performance - Stellar Performance by Portugal in the Match
City of Munich (dpa) -
Prepare for an epic clash on Wednesday night (9 PM CET/ZDF and DAZN) in Munich as Germany takes on Portugal. This match marks the 1,026th international fixture for Germany, boasting a remarkable record of 591 wins, 214 draws, and 220 losses. The goal difference stands tall at 2,303 to 1,207.
Leading the charge is Julian Nagelsmann, coaching his 22nd game as national team boss. His tenure thus far has seen 12 victories, 6 draws, and 3 losses. The German team has been unbeaten in their last 8 games, with only a single loss – a nail-biting 1:2 extra-time defeat against Spain in the home Euro 2024 quarter-finals in Stuttgart[2]. Nagelsmann has celebrated 47 goals while opponents have netted merely 23 times under his command.
This semi-final in the Nations League is the 25th game for the German team in this competition. They've managed 8 wins, 12 draws, and 4 losses. Interestingly, all three prior winners of the Nations League are represented at the Final Four in Germany. Portugal was the inaugural winner back in 2019, followed by France in 2021, and Spain in 2023[3].
Portugal, armed with star player Cristiano Ronaldo, presents a tough challenge. Historically, Germany has the upper hand, winning 11 out of 19 matches compared to Portugal's 4 victories[1]. The last defeat against Portugal happened 25 years ago, a 0:3 in Rotterdam that sealed their group stage exit at the Euro 2000. The last encounter took place in Munich, with Germany securing a 4:2 victory in the group stage at Euro 2021. Kai Havertz and Robin Gosens scored for Germany, with two own goals credited to the Portuguese. Ronaldo and Diogo Jota netted for Portugal[4].
Captain Joshua Kimmich is on the cusp of achieving a major milestone, playing his 100th international match. Kimmich made his debut on May 29, 2016, in Augsburg in a 1:3 EM test match against Slovakia[5]. So far, his only title win has been the Confederations Cup victory in 2017 in Russia. The record-holder for international appearances is Lothar Matthäus, with 150 matches to his name.
Two newcomers, Nick Woltemade (Stuttgart striker, 23) and midfielder Tom Bischof (19, TSG 1899 Hoffenheim), have yet to don the German jersey[6]. Several other Bayern professionals are approaching significant milestones: Leroy Sané could play his 70th game, Leon Goretzka his 60th, and Serge Gnabry his 50th. Florian Wirtz (Leverkusen), on the other hand, is nearing his 30th international match.
Leading the German team's goalscoring charts is Serge Gnabry, with a stellar 22 goals. Leon Goretzka follows closely with 15 goals, having recently returned to the team in March. Niclas Füllkrug and Leroy Sané, returning players, have double-digit goal tallies, with 14 goals apiece[7].
Slavko Vinčić, a 45-year-old Slovenian referee, will officiate the game[8]. He's no stranger to German matches, having previously overseen the 1:0 win against the Netherlands in the current Nations League competition in Munich last October[2]. Prior to that, he oversaw the 0:2 defeat of the German team in Vienna against Austria in November 2023, showing a red card to Leroy Sané[9]. This friendly encounter prompted Nagelsmann to make significant personnel changes before the home Euro 2024.
- Portugal
- Munich
- Football National Team
- Germany
- Nations League
- International Friendly
- Joshua Kimmich
- Julian Nagelsmann
- DFB Team
- Spain
- Bayern
- Cristiano Ronaldo
- Final Tournament
- Focus
- ZDF
- DAZN
- Leroy Sané
- Stuttgart
- France
- In the realm of sports, experts predict an intense encounter between the German national football team and Portugal, with a focus on Julian Nagelsmann's squad in the semi-finals of the Nations League, taking place in Munich.
- The star-studded German team, bolstered by players such as Joshua Kimmich, Leroy Sané, and Serge Gnabry, aims to secure a win against Portugal, who boast the legendary Cristiano Ronaldo, in their hunt for the Nations League title.
