National soccer team: Nagelsmann’s squad plan with Musiala and Havertz

Jamal Musiala back in magical form, Kai Havertz successfully on the ball again: Julian Nagelsmann can be happy. To round off an almost perfect international year, the national coach made the plan for his “winning team” clear. Two more games, two more wins and then with a good mood going into the pre-World Cup year 2025.

When the 37-year-old announces the squad for the last two games of the DFB team, which was still unbeaten in the preliminary round of the Nations League, against Bosnia-Herzegovina and Hungary via the association’s social media channels tomorrow at around 11 a.m., it will probably only be selective ones personnel changes are expected. Assuming there isn’t another wave of rejections.

Exclamation mark in the premier class

Or the national coach suddenly feels like winning points after the victories in Bosnia-Herzegovina (2:1) and against the Netherlands (1:0). Such would be the nomination of Nicolas Kühn, Celtic’s brace against RB Leipzig in the Champions League. Or a DFB comeback from central defender Malick Thiaw, who just annoyed the great Real Madrid as a goalscorer for AC Milan.

But: Nagelsmann actually found his standard ensemble after the home European Championships. “We have a functioning system, functioning processes. Everyone knows what their job is. That is certainly the coach’s credit,” said captain Joshua Kimmich, who is finally thriving in his role as leader.

Particularly important for Nagelsmann: Musiala is performing at the highest level at Bayern after his injury break, attacker Havertz is also a regular at Arsenal again – that’s the status before the evening Champions League games for Munich and London. With Florian Wirtz, the trio of 10 is complete again after the October failures of Musiala and Havertz – this trio has scored 15 of the 34 goals under Nagelsmann since September 2023.

Don’t let up now, despite having already qualified for the quarter-finals of the once unpopular Nations League. This is a requirement that is clear from Nagelsmann’s plans. The national team’s meeting point is on Monday next week in Frankfurt, no day of preparation will be wasted.

“I have never had a game in the Nations League where I had the feeling that it doesn’t matter whether we win or not win,” said the national coach after the win against Oranje in Munich in mid-October. “You can tell that everyone is up for it,” said Kimmich.

Next chance for small service

So what construction sites does Nagelsmann have at the end of the European Championship year? Niclas Füllkrug has not played a game since his Achilles tendon problems broke out at the beginning of September. The national coach’s top scorer (7 goals) has been missing from West Ham United since then. “Fülle’s” absence should give Tim Kleindienst from Borussia Mönchengladbach another chance to play as a classic nine.

Aleksandar Pavlovic, who is only back in running training after breaking his collarbone with Bayern, also has to pass. Nagelsmann has Pascal Groß, Robert Andrich and Angelo Stiller there for the six position. Emre Can could celebrate a comeback if the national coach wants to have doubles in every position. Other options: Can’s Dortmund colleague Felix Nmecha or Rocco Reitz from Borussia Mönchengladbach, who was there as a training camp guest before the European Championships.

There are also hopes of a DFB return for Bayern turbo Leroy Sané, who could be back after groin surgery for the first time since the European Championship exit in the quarter-finals against Spain (1:2 nV) – the only defeat so far in 2024. BVB attacker Maximilian Beier, who was given a break in October, also showed improving form and could be back in the team for the injured winning goal scorer against Oranje, Jamie Leweling.

Time out for frequent players?

The question remains whether the national coach will grant time off; Dortmund’s frequent player Nico Schlotterbeck would be a candidate, especially since he is serving a yellow card suspension in the first game against Bosnia-Herzegovina in his home town of Freiburg on November 16th (8:45 p.m./RTL). With a win, the group victory would be perfect, the final duel on November 19th (8:45 p.m./ZDF) with Hungary in Budapest would only be a test.