Julian Nagelsmann wants to secure group victory against Switzerland. As league leaders, confidence is increasing ahead of the knockout round. But does this also increase Germany’s chances of winning the European Championship?
Julian Nagelsmann is determined to finish first in the European Championship group. Defender Jonathan Tah wants to see Germany “at the top”. To achieve this, they need at least a draw against Switzerland in Frankfurt today (9 p.m./ARD/Magenta TV). But how important is winning the group for the title prospects?
The history of the national team shows that winning a group does not guarantee a title, of course – and a triumph is also possible if you do not finish the preliminary round in first place. However, the last four tournament victories began with first place after three games.
World Cup 1954: The big bluff
National coach Sepp Herberger sends the B team to face Hungary in the group match. They accept a 3:8 defeat and risk a play-off match for a place in the knockout round. It is basically the first act of the Miracle of Bern. Fritz Walter and Co. triumph in the final – perhaps also thanks to Herberger’s psychological trick.
EM 1972: No EM in group mode yet
The legendary first victory at Wembley (3:1) against the English led directly to participation in the semi-finals. In the four-team finals, Germany won its first European Championship title against hosts Belgium and the Soviet Union.
World Cup 1974: Exactly 50 years ago
The GDR shocked the hosts, the Federal Republic, in Hamburg. Jürgen Sparwasser’s winning goal to make it 1-0 is part of German football history. The irony: Franz Beckenbauer and his colleagues, as second in the group in the intermediate round, were given the supposedly easier route to the final and to their second World Cup title.
European Championship 1980: Group victory is a condition for title
Only the first placed team will advance to the final. The national coach’s team has already secured this after two victories before the kick-off of the last group match against Greece (0:0). In the final, it will be Horst Hrubesch’s turn to score twice against Belgium.
World Cup 1990: A perfect example of a tournament
Germany wins its group in Italy, is allowed to stay at the venue in Milan and beats the Netherlands in a football drama in the first knockout round. The crowning moment follows on the magical night in Rome against Diego Maradona and Argentina.
Euro 1996: Things are going smoothly in England too
After two wins and a draw, the group winners are once again certain. Jürgen Klinsmann and his colleagues move on to Wembley. There, England is dramatically defeated in a penalty shootout, then Oliver Bierhoff scores the last European Championship title to date with a golden goal.
World Cup 2014: Group victory in rainy battle
The confidence is there, despite tough knockout opponents like France in the quarter-finals. Brazil felt this in the legendary 7:1 one round later. Mario Götze then shot Germany to World Cup victory in the Maracanã.
Source: Stern
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