Opinion
After the botched test against Turkey, the DFB President set the goal of reaching the European Championship final. This is grossly exaggerated because it does not correspond to the performance of the national team. It shows how aloof the association is.
There Bernd Neuendorf stood in the Bild TV studio and was asked by three moderators about all topics relating to the DFB. And there are quite a few of them, which is why the survey lasted almost an hour. The coach’s future beyond the European Championship tournament, the weakness of the double six, creative solutions in the full-back position, the mood in the Olympic Stadium, the DFB’s handling of the attack on Israel, the anger in the women’s national team, the World Cup Qatar, the relationship with FIFA. There was a lot to discuss.
Neuendorf tried to answer all questions to the best of his knowledge and belief. As a former politician who was State Secretary in the Family and Sports Ministry in North Rhine-Westphalia for a few years (for the SPD), he can do that. He also has the ability to say a lot without you knowing exactly what he actually said afterwards said. There is something lulling about Neuendorf’s speeches. But the DFB President made one point very clear. “We are playing a tournament in our own country,” he said, referring to the European Championships next year. Reaching the final must be “the goal”.
Clear goals are important
Now it is right and good for a DFB president to be clear Goals formulated. Everyone knows where they stand. No free ticket will be issued for the actors.
However, such statements only have an impact if they are based on a realistic assessment of the situation. Under no circumstances should they be excessive, otherwise the desired effect will be reversed. The pressure becomes counterproductive. Exaggerated expectations can only lead to disappointment.
Unfortunately, that’s exactly what happened to Neuendorf. When he talks about an “aspiration” that the German team will reach the European Championship final, he is obviously infected with an internal DFB logic that has become disconnected from reality. Since 2018, and that was five years ago, the DFB team has presented a rather mediocre picture. She completely squandered two world championships and one European championship. As Joachim Löw’s successor, Hansi Flick tried for two years to raise the German team to its previous performance level. In vain.
The defeat against Turkey showed that the old problems persist even under Julian Nagelsmann. The German team is capable of defeating any team in the world, but they can also lose at any time against supposedly weaker opponents.
The reality for the DFB team is mediocrity
It’s time to have a debate like the one that briefly arose in 2018 after Löw’s resignation: Is the current generation simply not as good as the 2014 generation? Despite the numerous offensive and midfield talents, who undoubtedly have world-class qualities. Or the other way around: Has football perhaps changed, has the competition become stronger? Is the quality of individual players perhaps no longer the deciding factor, but rather tactics, discipline and attitude? In Berlin, the Turkish team definitely appeared more passionate and committed than the DFB team.
For the German team, reality means 16th place in the FIFA world rankings. That’s mediocre.
Unfortunately, the findings did not reach many in the DFB. The old class mentality still prevails, according to which Germany is almost automatically at the top. Nevertheless, the national team can reach the European Championship final and even win. She recently showed what she is capable of in the game against France. But you shouldn’t make a “claim” out of it.
Anyone who believes that Germany is automatically one of the favorites is misunderstanding the situation, underestimating their opponents and making everything worse. Maybe that’s the biggest problem.
Source: Stern

I am Pierce Boyd, a driven and ambitious professional working in the news industry. I have been writing for 24 Hours Worlds for over five years, specializing in sports section coverage. During my tenure at the publication, I have built an impressive portfolio of articles that has earned me a reputation as an experienced journalist and content creator.