The upheaval in the national team is bigger than planned. The national coach has his eye on 23-year-old Angelo Stiller for the top position.
The news that the German national football team has brought to market in recent weeks has been more beautifully packaged than ever. Especially that from the production site in Munich: Manuel Neuer, the eternal goalkeeper, had specially draped a German flag in the picture when he announced in a video message that it was finally over after 15 years and 124 international matches. Thomas Müller had already said goodbye without a bow, but with a pun (“I say goodbye to the federal eagle”).
And Ilkay Gündogan, who was still based in Barcelona at the time, had also made an effort. The captain announced his resignation in solemn words, and anyone who read the text could tell that it had been polished and polished at least ten times. Every word was spot on.
Six more international matches this year
As perfect as all these messages sounded, they must have been sobering for Julian Nagelsmann. Because the fact that the national coach would have to build a completely new “axis”, as it is called in the industry jargon, just a few weeks after the European Championships at home, was not planned. This axis stretches from the goalkeeper position (formerly Neuer) through the defensive center (formerly Kroos) to position ten behind the strikers (formerly Gündogan). So coach Nagelsmann’s steering rod was unscrewed overnight, and now he has to get the machine running again. And as quickly as possible.
The UEFA competition calendar knows no respite; not only has the European association expanded its Champions League and put the clubs under even greater scheduling pressure, it has also put the German national team under pressure. There are still six Nations League games to be played before the end of the year, the first of which is against Hungary on Saturday next week.
Time is short, the restructuring to be done is huge – the classic coaching reflex would be to order new personnel first. But Julian Nagelsmann, and this is a surprise, is making only minimal changes to the squad. His squad for the matches against Hungary and the Netherlands includes two returnees (goalkeeper Alexander Nübel and defensive midfielder Aleksandar Pavlovic) and a newcomer, Angelo Stiller from VfB Stuttgart. Otherwise, the squad is almost identical to the one that played a strong European Championship in June and July.
The national coach continues to rely on the European Championship squad
Nagelsmann trusts his players, that is the signal. He will give a starting place to players who had to make do with reserve roles at the European Championships, such as Marc-André ter Stegen, Pascal Groß and Chris Führich. Nagelsmann will, however, fill the top position in the German game with a rookie. Angelo Stiller, 23, is to succeed Toni Kroos, whose mastery was to control a game despite being far back, in front of the back four.
No other German footballer has been praised as much in recent months as Kroos. He was the one who knew the whole country was behind him. The cosmopolitan from Madrid, six Champions League victories, the only player who ennobled the national team – and not the other way around, the DFB team ennobled him.
So this Toni Kroos is supposed to be doubled by a young man named Stiller, who once was unable to assert himself in the FC Bayern youth academy, sought his luck in the small Hoffenheim and only found it last season at VfB Stuttgart.
Angelo Stiller has many helpers around him
A herculean task, almost impossible to shoulder. Nagelsmann was already aware of this in May, when Kroos was still playing and Stiller had not yet been called up. At the training camp in Blankenhain, Thuringia, Nagelsmann said: “It will not be possible to replace Toni one-to-one. We have to solve this as a group.”
Stiller can expect support next week when the team meets in Herzogenaurach for training, in the year one after Kroos. He will be assisted in the build-up to the game by Nico Schlotterbeck, who was already moved from the defensive line to the offensive during the European Championships. Joshua Kimmich will also take on more responsibility again and move from the right wing to the center.
Even if many helping hands will gather around him, Angelo Stiller is an astonishingly mature player for his 23 years. At VfB Stuttgart, none of the old guard needs to tell him what to do. He has this instinct for the game, the feeling when a tactical change or a change of rhythm is needed. You can’t learn that, it takes a lot of talent and a little experience. Stiller is so highly gifted that he can make up for a lack of historical knowledge with genius. Stuttgart coach Sebastian Hoeneß recognized this early on and appointed Stiller chief strategist. As the successor to Wataru Endo, who is at least as revered by VfB fans as Toni Kroos is by Real supporters.
Just a few weeks ago, it was said that Stiller was being discussed with FC Barcelona. This shows that Stiller’s development is also being noticed internationally. In the coming weeks, the scouts can save themselves the trouble of business trips to Stuttgart. Sports fan Stiller will regularly be seen on the big stages. He will travel through Europe with the national team and compete in the Champions League with VfB.
Not even Toni Kroos received so much brilliance at such an early age.
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.
