Nagelsmann remembers the scene before the Spain game and has to cry

National coach emotional

Mr. Nagelsmann has to cry

The national soccer coach is emotional at an event. He reveals why the DFB chef gave the decisive European Championship speech.

Julian Nagelsmann is undoubtedly one of a new generation of football coaches. The 37-year-old speaks openly about his feelings, something that wasn’t a given for coaches in the past. And so, at the premiere of the documentary “Our Team – The Home European Championship 2024” about the European Football Championship in Germany, Nagelsmann made no secret of the fact that the work had brought tears to his eyes.

The national coach, as well as Bayern star and national team captain Joshua Kimmich, came to the Astor Film Lounge in Munich to present the documentary.

“This is really the main scene in the film where I actually always start to get tears in my eyes again. You’ll notice later what I mean,” said Nagelsmann about a key scene in the documentary. It shows DFB chef Anton Schmaus giving the team speech before the quarter-final against Spain.

Nagelsmann explained in a panel discussion before the film that the association’s head chef was allowed to give the important speech before the game: “We simply discussed with the coaching team that it is extraordinary in the DFB circle how the staff sticks together, what a common feeling we have with the team, but also with the team around it. The moments before the game, when there is a final speech, are very important.”

According to the “Bild” newspaper, Nagelsmann was satisfied with the chef’s speech. “He did it well. It was somewhat funny and emotional. That was better than many of my speeches.”

According to an RTL statement, Nagelsmann also agreed with the documentary itself. “Despite being eliminated in the quarter-finals, the home European Championship was unique for us because the fans carried us through the tournament. The film impressively shows this symbiosis between team and fans.” The Cologne broadcaster will show the documentary on free TV on Saturday (8:15 p.m.).

For 40 days, a camera team accompanied the DFB selection through training camps, test matches and the tournament. You get deep insights into the inner workings of the German national soccer team during the exciting summer up to the unfortunate quarter-final exit against the eventual European champions Spain.

“The summer of 2024 was something very special for us as a team and especially for the whole of football Germany, even beyond. I’m really looking forward to starting 2025 with these emotions. Because we still have a lot to do together,” said Nagelsmann.

The content of the documentary goes beyond what happens on the pitch or within the team. Among other things, you can see the women in the Ossendorf correctional facility hugging each other during Ilkay Gündogan’s 2-0 win against Hungary. The German soldiers of the tank battalion on the Lithuanian border, doctors with their patients in the intensive care unit of a clinic in Bremen or the musicians in the Hamburg Elbphilharmonie during a concert experienced similar feelings.