The final Four of the Nations League was anything but satisfactory for the German national team. A great chance was wasted these days.
William Laing reports from Stuttgart
You don’t really want to accuse the DFB stars after the 0-2 defeat against France in the Nations League. The appearance of the eleven of Julian Nagelsmann was so much better in the game for third place, especially in the first half, compared to the rather bloodless performance against Portugal in the semi -finals. The German team ended up in the way of the lack of opportunities for opportunities. That, but you have to be honest, was again an indication of the currently missing quality in the German offensive.
It was accordingly disappointing that Nick Woltemade, Karim Adeyemi and Co. awarded the best options in rows. However, even more than that hurts another chance that all players in the squad not only left lightly against France, but in general these days. The chance of the final rehabilitation of the German national team. At least the title at the “mini-European”, as the DFB called it, would definitely have brought this.
When Julian Nagelsmann took over the office of national coach from the failed Hansi Flick in September 2023, the national team was on the ground, only a shadow of her own football. The 37-year-old knew how to free the team from this sadness: In a crash course up to the European Championship in his own country, he gave her the self-image to be one of the best teams in the world.
At the latest with the start of the EM, the hype around the national team was newly flamed. The bitter end in the quarter -finals against Spain did not change anything. The Germany -wide tenor afterwards, which Nagelsmann in particular fueled: Then we become world champions in 2026.
Between the European Championship and the World Cup, however, the final four of the Nations League in Germany was still-and with that mini tournament the chance for the team to once again spark an euphoria wave around the national team in front of their own audience. This project failed.
The team has to be collectively chalk up for this failure. Because she incomprehensibly did not go to the necessary bite against Portugal. Because she was improved against France, but still lacked the concentration in the end. And because compared to top nations, they simply did not show enough clarity and ripe for the very big throw. In summary: that was just not good enough. In the end, the national team is empty after a disappointing summer – and thus in the external view a year before the World Cup somewhere in the middle of nowhere.
However, according to the games against Portugal and France, not everything should be demonized. Because the following also applies: Julian Nagelsmann and his team have done a lot in the past few months. The euphoria has therefore not gone out. But it is sensitive – and that is exactly what shouldn’t have been. Bitter is therefore above all the realization: the long-time patient “DFB team” lives, but is not finally healed after the Nations League. He’s to blame for that.