National football team
This is how things continue for Germany in the <a href="https://www.archysport.com/2022/01/dfb-meet-netherlands-in-the-international-match-first-top-opponent-for-flick/" title="DFB meet Netherlands in the international match – first top opponent for Flick”>Nations League
Julian Nagelsmann (l.) can achieve a milestone against the Netherlands. photo
© Christian Charisius/dpa
With a win against the Netherlands, Julian Nagelsmann and his national team would have achieved an interim goal. If that doesn’t work, things could get exciting again in November.
The German national soccer team can achieve an important milestone in the Nations League this evening (8:45 p.m./ZDF). With a win against arch-rivals the Netherlands, national coach Julian Nagelsmann’s DFB team would qualify early for the quarter-finals. In the newly introduced knockout round with two legs, the eight best nations will play in March for a place in the final tournament in June.
Possible advantage for the group winner
The two best nations in each of the four groups of the A-League reach the quarter-finals. A win would give Germany 10 points in Group A3. Of the two pursuers, the Netherlands (currently 5 points) and Hungary (2), only one team can get more (11) points. Hungary is playing in a parallel game today against bottom-placed Bosnia-Herzegovina (1) and has to win to stay ahead of Germany.
If two nations are tied on points, the deciding factor is the direct comparison, which Germany would have won with a win against the Netherlands after the 2-2 draw in the first leg. There were victories in the first leg against Hungary (5:0) and in Bosnia-Herzegovina (2:1). If the DFB team doesn’t win today, the return games in November in Freiburg against Bosnia-Herzegovina (November 16th) and in Budapest against Hungary (November 19th) will decide whether they progress.
The group win will also be decided in November. The group winner has the presumed advantage of being drawn a group runner-up as an opponent in the quarter-finals. Portugal in group A1, Italy (A2) and Spain (A4) are currently on course for victory in the other three leagues.
Final round in Germany?
It is still unclear where the final round will be held in June 2025 with three games (two semi-finals and the final). In any case, one of the participating nations will host the event from June 4th to 8th. According to UEFA guidelines, all nations that are eligible to participate had to apply, including Germany. The German Football Association most recently hosted the 2024 European Championship, and the 2025 Champions League final will also be played in Munich on May 31st.
