National soccer team
Nagelsmann continues to think: “March” to the World Cup
The title was the declared goal. The reality at the final tournament of the Nations League are two defeats and the last place. What does that mean for the World Cup qualifiers and the big goals 2026?
World Cup title dreams? Still? Julian Nagelsmann does not want to move away from the highest ambitions. Not even after the mileage, which he and his players had missed as a stage destination on the way to the 2026 World Cup. Not even after the last place at the Final Four tournament through the 0: 2 against France.
Nevertheless, the national coach did not call the realities exactly a year before the kick-off of the XXL finals with 48 teams in the USA, Canada and Mexico. “We cannot tear the world and catch up in two years, which was not going well over several years,” said the 37-year-old. In his final words, he even urged the reporters in the press conference room for patience and trust in Stuttgart. He expressed it to his team: “I feel something special in the group.”
“Can’t tear the world in two years”
After the sobering 1-2 in game one against the new Nation League winner Portugal around leader Cristiano Ronaldo, the committed, but in the end there was a “better feeling” to the national coach with Matchwinner Kylian Mbappé.
Nagelsmann looks positively into the second half of the year: “If we appear in the World Cup qualification, we will hopefully march through and compete at the World Cup. And then we would like to win the tournament.”
The ticket as the winner of group A with Slovakia (world ranking place 46), Northern Ireland (71) and Luxembourg (91) must be a sure -fire success. But the scale is the top of the world, are top teams such as Spain, France and Portugal, who at the Mini home European Championship offered a completely different quality level than the DFB selection-also in the class and width of their squad.
Musiala, Rüdiger, Havertz: failures weigh too heavy
Nagelsmann spoke glossy of “a few percentage points behind the top teams”. The fact was: France’s national coach Didier Deschamps switched to eight positions against Germany compared to the 4: 5 spectacle in the semi-finals against European champion Spain.
And Nagelsmann? Could not adequately replace the failures of Antonio Rüdiger to Jamal Musiala to Kai Havertz. It gets thin behind the first team. And in some positions there is no international class. “As far as the width of the squad is concerned, we have to say goodbye to the illusion that we will get it in a year. We cannot catch up in two years,” said Nagelsmann.
He used 39 players in the ten international matches in 2024/25 with five wins, three draws and two defeats at the big season finale. In twelve months, however, all top performers have to be healthy and so great in shape as Marc-André ter Stegen. Regardless of the stressful rumor for his future at FC Barcelona, the 33-year-old kept out of his comeback in the DFB goal.
There were two defeats one after the other in the 23 international matches under Nagelsmann’s management only once in November 2023 against Turkey and Austria. At that time there was a radical squad conversion Nagelsmann’s reaction.
Such a panic reaction is not necessary in the summer of 2025. The France game could have run differently, yes. “Football is the proverbial result sport,” Nagelsmann struggled. “Missing goals”, striker Niclas Füllkrug named the shortcoming after a lively first half, at the end of which, according to defender Jonathan Tah, “has to be 4: 1” – and not 0: 1.
“Mbappé sinks Germany”
“We have to lead 3-0 after six minutes,” said captain Joshua Kimmich and added: “If you are honest, the French had no desire to win in the first half – and then win anyway.”
Because they have players who can make the difference. “Mbappé sinks Germany,” wrote the Spanish newspaper “Marca”. Real Madrid’s star was invisible and faulty. And then he made it 1-0 with the half -time whistle.
And in the second half, when the German game became “Wild and Wilder” (Füllkrug) after the revealed equalization, Mbappé, who was only up to the substitute Bayern striker Michael Olise, put on the completely deserved 2-0 (84th).
However, like the national coach, the Neu-Münchner Tah warned to see “not only the negative” after the best North League placement so far. “We managed to get out of the crisis of the past few years and give people hope again. We shouldn’t lose that because we have now lost two games,” said the 29-year-old.
“Now don’t just lie on the beach”
Nagelsmann and his half squad said goodbye to vacation in Stuttgart. “I’m not just on the beach now – but not only,” said the national coach. The World Cup planning continues to determine its everyday life. For the national players from FC Bayern and Borussia Dortmund, however, the club World Cup continues, which takes a maximum of July 13th.
Nagelsmann will look at the USA because of the (over) burden. “Of course, fit players increase the likelihood of playing a good World Cup,” he said with a view to the new season, which started in August. If irreplaceable top performers are injured, this “reduces the probability extremely”. And thus dreaming of the World Cup coup.
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.
