“Don’t know what the plan was”
Matthew attacks national coach Nagelsmann
05.09.2025 – 7:19 p.m.Reading time: 1 min.
After the defeat against Slovakia, Lothar Matthäus criticizes the national coach. He accuses him of too many experiments.
The failed appearance of the German national team against Slovakia brings Julian Nagelsmann into a shortage of explanation. After the 0: 2 at the start of the World Cup qualification, record international Lothar Matthäus therefore questions the tactical orientation of the national coach.
In an interview with Sky, Matthew expressed significant doubts about the preparation of the game of the DFB team. He had gained the impression that “the eleven of Julian Nagelsmann was quite surprised. They did not expect this style of play. It was caught by the aggressive pressing of the Slovaks on the wrong foot. They almost played over the entire place, and we didn’t get along at all,” said the long-time national player.
Matthäus was particularly disturbed by the tactical basic order of the German team – or rather of their uncertainty. In his view, there was no recognizable concept: “I don’t even know how we played exactly what the plan was in Slovakia. Was that a 4-2-2-2 without a ball and a 3-5-2 in possession of the ball? Did he want to try out his old Leipzig system? I just can’t make friends with all the changes,” said Matthew.