Julian Nagelsmann wants to become world champion. After the second defeat at the Nations League final, the national coach admits that “a few percent” of the top of the world are missing. In addition, a few top players are also missing.
It was a good eleven months since national coach Nagelsmann said in Stuttgart that he wanted to be world champion. It was after the end of the European Championship against Spain. It was from a mixture of conviction and despite.
On Sunday (June 8th, 2025) Nagelsmann returned to Stuttgart with the German national team.
He lost the game for third place in the Nations League against France 0-2. So it was the fourth place in the tournament he had called for as a mini-European Championship, which he really wanted to win.
Two defeats, just one goal, two games with – very tight – each – a weak half, each in home games in front of fans who loved the DFB team again.
A year after Nagelsmann’s announcement in Stuttgart
There are no signs that something should change until the start of the qualification for the World Cup in September. But the question of whether it was not too ambitious to call the title as a goal after the end of the 2024/25 international season.
At the moment “a few percent” would be missing from the top nations, Nagelsmann in Stuttgart. He also told the team that. There was nothing more than a outlook on the 2026 World Cup, and it can be interpreted in such a way that the gap should be caught up in the next twelve months.
Spectacular football always without German participation
Football fans have been spoiled with spectacular good games in the past few weeks. The two semi-final in the Champions League between Inter Milan and FC Barcelona were among them, and the level was also extremely high in the other semi-finals between Arsenal and Paris Saint-Germain. PSG’s performance in the final against Inter was breathtaking.
It was hardly to be expected that due to the more difficult framework conditions for national teams – much fewer training sessions and games than in clubs – in which, in terms of sport, Nations League of similar football will be offered. But he was offered, in Stuttgart.
But not on Sunday afternoon, when the host was involved, but on Thursday before, when a magical and magically efficient Spain defeated France 5: 4 in the exploitation of opportunities. Such a result requires weaknesses on the defensive, but also the class of single players and teams to take advantage of them.
Germany had not even managed to play a significant number of opportunities on Wednesday at 1-2 against Portugal. Rather, the eleven of Nagelsmann offered a stubborn idea that already sowed doubts.
“Unfortunately, it is part of taking opportunities”
Against France, Germany earned more and better chances in the first six minutes than against Portugal. “Unfortunately, football is also part of doing the chances,” said Nagelsmann in Stuttgart.
At the final four of the Nations League, Germany was missing, especially Jamal Musiala, who can magically play football and is still young, just like Florian Wirtz, who stayed under his possibilities at the Final Four.
Other nations would also like this duo – but additionally. France has such a wide – overall relatively young – top that some top players inevitably lack in the starting eleven. Spain already has Nico Williams and the talent of the century Lamine Yamal, who was no longer called talent at the age of 17.
For Tom Bischof and Nick Woltemade, on the other hand, the name is ideal, because they still have to prove at the highest international level that they can become national players who may be able to help at the tournament in the USA, Canada and Mexico.
Even without Kroos, new and Co. quite old team
A fresh cell cure would make sense. Because although Manuel Neuer, Toni Kroos, Ilkay Gündogan and Thomas Müller no longer play in the national team, the starting eleven showed an average age of 28.6 years. Antonio Rüdiger, who was missing in central defense, will be 33 years old at the World Cup.
One who could play the focus at the U21 European Championship, which was soon started, is Brajan Gruda (Brighton and Hove Albion), maybe it is Paul Nebel (1. FSV Mainz 05), perhaps Namdi Collins from Eintracht Frankfurt.
Only opponents from width in qualification
But then there would still be the task of integrating these players into a team in a year that faces the annoying qualification against teams that embody the width of the 2026 world tournament: Luxembourg, Northern Ireland, Slovakia.
The World Cup only goes back to the top. Already in the preliminary round there is a top team, perhaps even world champion Argentina, supported by thousands of fans.
Germany had almost only home games under the national coach Nagelsmann when things went hard: familiar surroundings, affection of the fans, moderate climate. Some things will be different at the big tournament in the summer of 2026, which Julian Nagelsmann absolutely wants to win. No percentage point should be missing from a top top top coach if he should succeed.