The German national soccer team has also negligently played out the consolation price at its home tournament and raises quiet doubts about a successful World Cup mission.
The team of national coach Julian Nagelsmann lost the game for third place in the Nations League against a substantial weakened France despite a long performance with 0: 2 (0: 1).
The significantly improved and again playful DFB team in Stuttgart became doomaked and the many greater chances. France survived dangerous scenes in the dozen, Florian Wirtz failed on the post (36th) – then superstar Kylian Mbappé struck an ice cold after a hook (45.+1). Bayern professional Michael Olise met for the decision (84th).
For Nagelsmann, the mini tournament, which should point the path towards World Cup 2026 and established a culture of winning, is a failure. For the second time he lost two games in a row with the national team, which was also missing some stars.
In September, the World Cup qualification in Slovakia and against Northern Ireland in Cologne begins in September. First of all, his players are now spreading into all the winds: they fly to the club World Cup in the USA like captain Joshua Kimmich, to the U21 European Championship in Slovakia like Shootingstar Nick Woltemade-or just on vacation.
After the “big disappointment” of the 1: 2 in the semi-finals against Portugal, Nagelsmann got a system irrigation. His idea of a defense series had not reached this time, against the offensive French he switched to a chain of four with Jonathan Tah and Robin Koch in the center: “We always change with the idea of improving something.”
Pascal Groß replied in front of 51,313 spectators in the defensive midfield, Karim Adeyemi was allowed to try Leroy Sané – and Niclas Füllkrug played steeply on Woltemade at the front, which after only 80 seconds gave a huge opportunity. It was just a game for third place, the “title” already missed, but Nagelsmann had raised the motivation for the question of character. The fans agreed: “Head up! Breast out!”, Was on a banner.
France, on the other hand, assigned the game to a clearly subordinate meaning after his spectacular 4: 5 against Spain. Didier Deschamps changed the starting eleven to eight positions – only Mike Maignan remained in the goal, Adrien Rabiot and whirlwind Mbappé in the storm. Accordingly, the new defense against Füllkrug (5th) and Adeyemi (6th) also swimming.
DFB team forgives too many opportunities
As hoped for by Nagelsmann, his team with a high pressing risk often conquered the ball deep in the French half. The players changed their positions, acted very flexibly and developed more opportunities in the first ten minutes than in the entire Portugal game.
Adeyemi (24th) noticeably revived the attack, but the BVB professional saw the yellow card after a long review by referee Ivan Kruzliak because it was too easy in the duel with Maignan (34.). Wirtz followed.
Until then, it was a passionate appearance that the reward was missing – and as it is, the others hit. Mbappé elegantly lay down the ball on the left after a flank, wiggled Kimmich and overcame goalkeeper Marc-André Ter Stegen with right. Nice, but not deserved.
Deniz Undav replaced the agile but hapless Woltemade at the break and introduced himself with a bad pass that Mbappé almost used to the second goal (47th). Then Undav finally overcome Maignan, the German fans cheered – but Kruzliak conceded the equalization after video studies. Füllkrug had fought the ball against Rabiot too rabidly.
Nagelsmann took full risk, making France some counter opportunities with plenty of space. Marcus Thuram only hit the outer post (59.). The national coach threw debutant Tom Bischof into the game (65th), Germany ran on, Ter Stegen parried strongly against Thuram (70th) and Mbappé (79./81.). The effort was in vain – it gets serious again in September.