Sloppy Germans Struggle in Stuttgart Loss to France: Nagelsmann Faces Fundamental Questions
World-Class Blueprint Discovered by German Football Coach
Hanging their heads after a 2:0 defeat against France in a third-place match of the Nations League, the German football national team is reevaluating their strategies. While Deschamps' French team savored the win, shrugging off vacation talk, the German squad grappled with dismal performance and crucial questions.
World-class sensation Kylian Mbappé wave farewell to a quick pre-game vacay, but the spotlight shone on Didier Deschamps as he spoke in the Stuttgart Arena press room about the "mini-EM." The French coach had much to discuss – his team, his plans, and Mbappé's Club World Cup visit. McBappé's future meeting with Deschamps might or might not occur, as football qualifications for the World Cup commence in September.
Deschamps enjoys a privilege denied to his German counterpart, Julian Nagelsmann. A well-earned ease in vacation conversation, borne of France's reign at the pinnacle of the football world – a level the German team craves. The French karma was evident as they poised a friendly challenge to Germany when they offered their assistance after an interim coach took over in late 2023.
Germany desperately accepted the friendly offer, winning 2:1 under interim coach Rudi Völler and subsequently securing a 2:0 victory under Nagelsmann in Lyon, a few months later. But in Stuttgart, the friendly overture initially appeared when the French offered nothing but warm regards. Friendship remains a reliable French trademark, but this time the German team could have benefitted immensely from their show of camaraderie.
A disappointing 1:2 loss to Portugal in the Nations League semi-final days prior had already dented the Germans' confidence. The result wasn't ideal, but the trouble lay beyond the numbers – the performance felt sluggish, off-pace, and fundamentally flawed. Victory against France would have offered a crucial morale boost ahead of the qualifiers for the World Cup in September.
However, Deschamps had warned prior to the game that the third-place encounter would not define international football's entire history. True to his word, Deschamps switched out eight players heading into the game, fielding an almost unrecognizable team that seemed scattered and uninspired.
Germany took the early offensive, spending the opening five minutes showering French goalkeeper Mike Maignan with chances. Nick Woltemade, Niclas Füllkrug, and Karim Adeyemi all failed to convert, leaving the French unscathed. Unfortunately, when a team fails to score, the opposing side capitalizes – and France wasted no time.
France seemed to catch a second wind just before halftime, unleashing a world-class counterattack. Aurélien Tchouaméni crossed the ball from midfield to find Mbappé, who beat Kimmich in the air and subsequently slotted home the opening goal.
The German team shuffled and adjusted during the break, hardly creating dangerous scoring chances afterward. A disputed goal from Deniz Undav was disallowed after a VAR review triggered by Füllkrug's foul, causing chaos in the German offense. Meanwhile, the French continued to demonstrate world-class abilities, despite subpar play, scoring a second goal ten minutes into the second half. Mbappé joined forces with Michael Olise to seal the 2:0 victory, sentencing the Germans to a disheartening summer break trailing Portugal.
Julian Nagelsmann faced the press and acknowledged the team's shortcomings, "We're still several percentage points behind the top teams in the world. We can't dismantle everything that hasn't been 100% excellent over the past several years in just two years." The lingering weight of the home European Championship, the lack of squad depth, and the questionable performance in Stuttgart all cast a dark cloud over the team's future prospects.
Prior to the match, Nagelsmann had insisted on fielding a full-strength squad, despite the unavailability of key players like Jamal Musiala, Kai Havertz, Antonio Rüdiger, Angelo Stiller, and Nico Schlotterbeck. However, with depth severely tested, Nagelsmann was forced to make last-minute changes. Even against his better judgment, Kimmich moved from the backline to the holding midfield position in the match's latter stages.
Despite the disappointing defeat, Nagelsmann remains optimistic, citing a unique camaraderie amongst players and staff, as well as an unwavering passion to win the World Cup if they qualify for the tournament. Nagelsmann's ambitious goal, stated over a year ago in Stuttgart, still stands. The German team faces Luxembourg, Slovakia, and Northern Ireland in the upcoming qualifiers, their fortunes yet to be written. Back to the drawing board, the team seeks answers to pave their way forward in international football.
The German football team, seeking answers to improve their performance, might find solace in community aid such as vocational training programs. Meanwhile, the French team, currently reigning at the pinnacle of European leagues, including the Champions League, could potentially offer guidance, much like their friendly challenge after an interim coach took over in late 2023.
