On the way to the highest goals, national coach Julian Nagelsmann is counting on the impact of a special visitor. The rapper Kontra K appeared on Thursday evening at the European Championship headquarters of the German national team and gave a small concert. His song “Success is not luck” is so far the The team’s tournament song, the stars around captain İlkay Gündoğan have arranged for it to be played loudly in the stadium shortly before kick-off of their games. This Saturday too (9 p.m., ZDF and MagentaTV), when Germany meets Denmark in the round of 16 in Dortmund.
The Danish team qualified for the knockout round with three draws. But they are not considered “easy prey”. “I think the Danes are the most structured opponent we could have had,” said striker Niclas Füllkrug, “they are hard-working, have a structure with and against the ball and an idea of where one cog fits into another.” DFB sports director Rudi Völler also warns: “They are a very dangerous opponent, a very physical, robust team that makes it difficult for any opponent to create chances.”
Preliminary praise for the opponent is a tradition in the football industry – out of respect, but also out of self-protection and caution. Michael Ballack, captain of the German national team for many years, has a completely different opinion: “We don’t need to be afraid of the Danes,” he said on MagentaTV: “Their Group C was weak, one of the weakest in the European Championship. All the teams together only scored seven goals.” Denmark played “relatively pragmatically,” he added: “Harmless, not creative, zero inspiration.”
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In fact, anything other than a German victory would be a disappointment for a team that has set the title as its goal. The European Championship mood in the country would probably be gone, the historic opportunity of the home tournament would be lost. In short: There is a lot at stake in Dortmund. In the last three tournaments, Germany never made it past the round of 16: elimination in the preliminary round at the 2018 World Cup, defeat in the round of 16 at the 2021 European Championship, elimination in the preliminary round at the 2022 World Cup. Now the selection wants to make it into the top eight on its way to the big goal – and then storm on towards the final.
“We are prepared,” says Völler
But: Germany against Denmark – wasn’t there something there? Rudi Völler naturally remembers the legendary 1992 European Championship final, when he, as a world-class striker, flew back to the German team with a broken arm as a lucky charm, but in vain. He had to watch the 0:2 defeat against the Danish European Championship holidaymakers, who only made it into the tournament due to Yugoslavia’s exclusion, from the stands. “It’s all history,” said Völler this week. For him, the only thing that counts is the present.
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The DFB selection flew to Dortmund on Friday. They started strongly in the preliminary round, but then slacked off a bit. “Now it’s a new competition, now it’s a knockout system, round of 16, now it counts,” Völler emphasised: “And we’re prepared!”
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Nagelsmann gave his players two days off at the beginning of the week, so they could relax with their families by the pool in summer temperatures. The players watched the Danes’ last group match together. Since Wednesday, Nagelsmann has been preparing them intensively for Denmark. The national coach has to restructure his defense. The in-form Jonathan Tah is suspended after his second yellow card.
The participation of defensive leader Antonio Rüdiger is also questionable; he is suffering from a strain in the back of his thigh, which meant that he was only able to train individually during the week, but he was involved in training on Friday. Nagelsmann will probably only decide on his participation shortly before the game. “I had the injury too. It’s not easy to get it out of your head,” said Nico Schlotterbeck. The Dortmund player will replace Tah. If Rüdiger is out, Waldemar Anton from Stuttgart could play alongside Schlotterbeck in central defense.
Many fans want Füllkrug in the starting eleven
Something could also change in the offensive. Many fans would like Niclas Füllkrug to play up front from the start after his substitute goals in the group phase. For Nagelsmann, he is apparently a serious option for the starting eleven. Kai Havertz was a regular in the games against Scotland (5:1), Hungary (2:0) and Switzerland (1:1). The coaching team is now apparently discussing whether Havertz and Let Füllkrug play from the start. Füllkrug could play in the center of the attack, Havertz behind him, as a creative center together with Jamal Musiala. Florian Wirtz would have to make way for him, who has recently declined somewhat.
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Nagelsmann has a good sense of the “momentum” that he often speaks of. And Füllkrug is currently floating through the European Championship. It feels “a bit like a summer fairy tale,” he said. However, with his outstanding technique, Havertz better fits the necessary profile against the bulky Danes, and Musiala and Wirtz benefit from him. In attack, everything could stay the same as in the three preliminary round matches. Against a tired opponent, Füllkrug could be more effective as a substitute with his energy and efficiency than from the start. The 31-year-old has scored 13 goals in 19 international matches. “Fülle’s rate is certainly exceptional,” said Völler. But: “You also need a center forward who plays. Kai can solve that wonderfully. He does it exceptionally well in his own way.”
Whatever the starting line-up, with the Dortmund factor, this stadium with its sometimes magical atmosphere, Germany should achieve the longed-for quarter-finals. “We have earned this optimism and self-confidence,” said Völler. “We are definitely confident that we can move into the next round. The group we have here is unique. I would be delighted if they reward themselves for this team spirit with a very good European Championship.”
Völler knows: Success is not luck. It takes hard work against Denmark.
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