National football team
Musiala back, Sané required: Nagelsmann is paying attention to that
Two international matches with limited sporting value? Absolutely not. National coach Nagelsmann also wants to use the last appearances in 2024 to make a statement. First place is always a worthwhile goal.
Nine wins, three draws and only one defeat in the European Championship quarter-finals against Spain. Julian Nagelsmann finds this annual balance for 2024 “good, but not very good”. In the final two preliminary round games of the Nations League against Bosnia-Herzegovina on Saturday (8.45 p.m./RTL) in Freiburg and on November 19th (8.45 p.m./ZDF) in Budapest against Hungary, group victory is to be achieved. The national players are expected at the team hotel by lunch. The first training session on the DFB campus is at 4 p.m.
What else is going on for the national team at the end of the year?
We have already made it to the quarter-finals of the Nations League. Nevertheless, there is a specific sporting goal. With a win, the group victory is guaranteed. Maybe even a draw is enough. First place brings a supposedly easier opponent in the first knockout round, because the four winners in League A meet a second-placed team and have home advantage in the second leg. This – at least psychological advantage – should be secured.
How does Nagelsmann motivate the national players for the final tasks?
The national coach always has the big picture in mind. And that specifically means: World Cup 2026. Nagelsmann has declared his goal to be as many victories as possible. World champions Argentina and European champions Spain gained the necessary self-confidence and self-image before their titles. The latter is currently Nagelsmann’s favorite word. It was the “biggest word that was so prominent in our team after the European Championships,” he said on Bayerischer Rundfunk’s “Blickpunkt Sport”.
Why is the national coach relying on Sané again?
Leroy Sané “needs more match practice and rhythm after his break,” said Nagelsmann on Thursday – and then nominated the Munich player on Sunday to replace the injured Deniz Undav from Stuttgart. A contradiction? Not necessarily. Sané is in full possession of his strength and with maximum motivation he is a regular in the DFB squad.
Now the 28-year-old’s subsequent appointment can also be seen as a kind of invitation to demonstrate his qualities with full commitment. Exactly a year ago, the red card in the test in Austria (0:2) went terribly wrong. Weakened for a long time due to pubic inflammation, the storm turbo never really got going this year.
Which other personal details are important?
The return of Jamal Musiala to the DFB squad is of particular importance. He was injured in October. The young Munich player is in absolute top form, impresses not only as a whirlwind, but also as a goalscorer – a real game-changer who can now set the tone again together with Florian Wirtz.
It will be interesting to see how the Dortmund returnees Julian Brandt and Felix Nmecha get back together after a year away from the DFB. In view of the BVB crisis, self-confidence can only grow. The only real newcomer is Stefan Ortega Moreno as the third goalkeeper behind Oliver Baumann and Alexander Nübel, who are probably again replacing the injured number one Marc-André ter Stegen in a job-sharing arrangement.
Interesting fact: At least 15 of the 23 current DFB professionals were in the squad for the November games a year ago, when the emotional low point was reached with the defeats against Turkey (2:3) and Austria (0:2). After that, Nagelsmann changed a lot, but there is definitely continuity in terms of personnel.
What happens after the two games?
Just three days after the Hungary game, plans for 2025 will become more concrete on November 22nd. UEFA will then draw the quarter-finals of the Nations League. If Germany stays in first place, it would be between March 20th and 25th in the return leg against Denmark, Croatia or France for a place in the final round of the competition (June 4th to 8th).
The draw for the World Cup qualifying groups will follow on December 13th. Because of the special mode, Germany will be drawn into two groups using a wildcard ticket. Who exactly we will face on the way to America 2026 will only be decided with a win or defeat in the quarter-finals of the Nations League in March.
dpa
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.
