At the upcoming World Cup in Qatar in winter, the German national soccer team will meet Spain, Japan and Costa Rica or New Zealand in the group phase. Losfee Lothar Matthäus sees the duel against Spain as a signpost for the tournament.
After the draw, national coach Hansi Flick asked for a conversation with Matthäus. “Spain, that’s awesome. I have to talk to Lothar about it again,” he said with a wink.
An exchange between the national coach and the TV expert has already taken place, as Matthäus said in “skyrevealed. “He wasn’t that dissatisfied,” said the record national player about Flick.
“Of course, Spain is a tough lot. But I also told him: If you want to become world champion, you have to win against everyone,” Matthäus continued: “That’s a bit trend-setting. That’s why he (Hansi Flick , editor’s note) not at all dissatisfied with my lucky hand.”
Matthäus trusts the DFB team to have a good tournament anyway and also to win the World Cup. “The players pull together, the players convince. They also inspire the fans with attacking football,” said the 61-year-old, who added: “That’s why I believe that Germany has a great chance of winning the World Cup.”
Quarter question still open
Germany will play their first World Cup game against Japan on November 23rd. “But we have big plans. We have to make sure that we prevail. But you don’t have a choice with a draw anyway. You take it as it comes,” commented Flick on the draw on “ARD”. He also revealed that a planned friendly game against Japan will not take place due to the group constellation.
Where the German team will be quartered in Qatar is still open. The decision should be announced shortly after the draw, DFB director Oliver Bierhoff said before the draw.