The “failed generation” has to face nagging questions about the why of the World Cup disaster. At the home EM 2024 there is an opportunity to make amends.
It’s going home now, and then probably quickly on vacation. Some players even started the break straight from Doha.
But in just over a month, many national players will be returning to Qatar. You will train with FC Bayern Munich in the Aspire Academy overlooking the Khalifa International Stadium. The 2022 World Cup in Qatar began for the German team there, and it basically ended there on November 23 with a 2-1 loss to Japan.
Kimmich speaks of the most difficult day of his career
The actual end came on Thursday (December 1st, 2022), a good week later. “This is definitely the most difficult day of my career for me”, said Joshua Kimmich after the 4-2 win over Costa Rica. He was “I think it was even possible to score eight goals today”and this revealed the team’s dilemma.
The discrepancy between what is and what could have been and what was desired is large, sometimes very large.
Kimmich: “I’m afraid I’ll fall into a hole”
The German national team wanted to win the title at the last three major tournaments, but were eliminated early on. Joshua Kimmich was always there. Therefore he said: “I’m associated with failure. It’s not something you want to stand for. I’m afraid I’ll fall into a hole.”
Kimmich is 27 years old. He has won the DFB Cup three times, the German Championship seven times and the Champions League once. He is also world champion, but club world champion.
Nagging questions about why
Seven FC Bayern players formed the framework of the German squad for the 2022 World Cup. Kimmich, Manuel Neuer, Leon Goretzka, Serge Gnabry, Leroy Sané, Jamal Musiala and Thomas Müller were all in the starting XI against Costa Rica. This block is used to winning, not to failure in a row.
At the end of the day, you have to say that there was a lot of incompetence involved.
The questions about why are agonizing, even if Kimmich said aptly in the catacombs of the Al Bayt stadium: “At the end of the day you have to say that there was also a lot of incompetence.” He mainly aimed at converting chances: “We already had that issue at Bayern. It’s a problem that runs through. We can’t always speak of bad luck.”
Antonio Rüdiger also found clear words. “I think there’s a lot missing in both parts of the team. I can’t except myself. As a team, we didn’t do that well defensively.”said the central defender from Real Madrid, whose neighbor Niklas Süle can even be counted in the Bayern block, because he played for Munich for five years before moving to Borussia Dortmund in the summer.
Born in 95/96 – a failed generation
Sule was born in 1995. Like Kimmich, Gnabry, Sané and Goretzka, he belongs to the highly praised, often described vintage of 95/96, which is now considered the “failed generation” with regard to the national team. That’s a harsh judgment, but one backed by facts.
The previous generations were much more successful. The framework of the 2014 world champions was formed by six players who became European champions with the U21s in 2009: Manuel Neuer, Mesut Özil, Jérôme Boateng, Mats Hummels, Benedikt Höwedes and Sami Khedira. After them came the rupture, although it seemed as if things would continue as successfully. In 2017, Germany won the Confed Cup, the dress rehearsal before the World Cup, with the 95/96 vintage, which also included Timo Werner, who was absent due to injury in Qatar.
Home EM as another chance for Kimmich & Co.
The generation that is now considered to have failed will get another chance, supplemented by Jamal Musiala, who will perhaps also be more calm in the final at the EM 2024 in Germany in the national jersey. Florian Wirtz, who has not yet been considered for Qatar after tearing his cruciate ligament, will very likely find a place in the team. Youssoufa Moukoko, who has just turned 18, will have to wait and see how things will develop.
Rüdiger: Talent is not enough
Oliver Bierhoff, who has been in charge of the national team for 18 years, said in Doha that he trusts the team because they are “young” and full of talent. Antonio Rüdiger claimed that talent is not enough. The team lacks “the greed” and the “dirty”. The 95/96 vintage will probably have another opportunity to expand their repertoire.