National football team: feeling of unity as a moment of happiness: title plan for 2025 is in place

When the grumblings about the renewed meanness in the hands had subsided somewhat, Joshua Kimmich looked boldly forward in the huge Ferenc Puskás Stadium. The national team’s longing for the title has increased again after a wonderful but unfinished international year. “We can’t buy anything from it at first because we haven’t won a title yet. That’s the big goal. We want to work towards it,” said the captain in his analysis for 2024.

“The tournaments are starting now and every game is important for us on the way there,” said Kimmich, setting the benchmark for next year after the 1-1 draw in Hungary. As captain, the 29-year-old accurately summarized the situation of the national football team between pride in what has been achieved and the desire for even greater things. The Munich man was only wrong on one point. He sent Julian Nagelsmann on his winter vacation.

Nagelsmann still has appointments in 2024

The Hungary duel, which was not won due to the late and highly controversial hand penalty, was by no means the “end of the year” for the national coach, as Kimmich said. Nagelsmann will travel to Nyon on Lake Geneva for the appointment on Friday, when Bayern continues their Bundesliga game against Augsburg. The foundations for the small title run in 2025 in the Nations League will be laid there, which will become the blueprint for the World Cup attack in 2026. Italy, Denmark and Croatia are available as quarter-final opponents.

“I let myself be surprised. A, I can’t influence it. B, if I name someone as my preferred opponent and then it becomes someone else, then they say, oh, he’s nervous,” said the 37-year-old at the drawing ceremony UEFA headquarters. But the goal is clear: finals in June and then get a taste of what it’s like to lift a trophy.

“A title is definitely a big thing? I mean, the competition hasn’t been around that long. Nevertheless, the best teams in Europe take part. We’ve seen it in the past with the Spaniards winning the thing “So that definitely can’t do any harm,” said Kimmich.

After the final point in Budapest, the Munich player also chatted about what was happening in the dressing room. Of course he didn’t reveal any secrets – rather he provided a suitable mood picture. There was applause after Nagelsmann said. Even if the tough draw with the deliberately placed B team in the last group game was not a continuation of the recent football celebrations, the national team’s prospects are still promising.

“In general, of course, we still have room for improvement, but overall we are already on a very, very good path,” said Kimmich. Nagelsmann also moved between pride and optimism. The national coach was able to divide his findings into three categories on the cold, wet evening in Budapest.

The lessons from the game in Hungary

Nagelsmann was realistic. This game was not a benchmark given the circumstances of his own making with nine starting changes. The national coach was only briefly annoyed that the possible victory was given away by a controversial penalty whistle. The 37-year-old said he could “turn a blind eye.” “I can classify it. It wasn’t all bad today, but we can also do better. I would put the game behind me relatively quickly,” he added.

Of course, Nagelsmann also saw that his backups, from Julian Brandt to Chris Führich to Leroy Sané and also goal scorer Felix Nmecha, couldn’t get close to the regulars. However, they will no longer play together in this constellation. In March we will see who still met the national coach’s expectations or who falls through the cracks in the next nomination.

The lessons from the international match year 2024

When looking back on the year, Nagelsmann became downright emotional. “That gave me a lot because we were on the ground in November and had this home European Championship as the sword of Damocles over us,” he said. The 2-0 defeat in Austria exactly a year ago had a long lasting effect.

But the development of the DFB team was a unique experience for him. “The overall feeling of unity that I feel here, in connection with the team and the staff, is something I’ve never had before. I’ve never had the feeling that there’s a lack of conviction,” praised the national coach Team spirit and commitment.

Only this flaw of missing out on the European Championship title due to the 1:2 after extra time in the quarter-finals against Spain hangs in the room as a nasty memory. Otherwise the numbers are impressive. Ten wins, four draws, one defeat. 35:10 goals. Statistically, these numbers are even better than in the year of the World Cup victory in 2014. And above all: the fans love their national team again.

The outlook for the international match year 2025 and beyond

After the Nations League draw, Nagelsmann will also find out on December 13th what options there are for World Cup qualification. Using a necessary wildcard system, Germany will then be drawn into two groups, which will be decided in March depending on their success in the quarter-finals of the Nations League.

Sounds complicated, but it’s not. Because no matter who Germany plays on the way to America in 2026, the ticket has to be solved without any problems in terms of quality. For Nagelsmann it is primarily about the structural preparation of his team. The winning gene must penetrate even more into the minds of the players.

“If we approach 2025 the way we did in 2024 and successfully qualify for the World Cup and win the Nations League or play good games, then I believe that with a few courses we will be better prepared for a big tournament. That’s why I see 2025 and also 2026 is very positive and I believe that a lot can happen,” said Nagelsmann.