A current lesson from football: Everything doesn’t have to go downhill in Germany in the long run, things can quickly change for the better. A year ago, after two more defeats against Türkiye and Austria, there was a feeling in the country that nothing would ever happen again with the national team. Since then the situation has changed. The European Championships were not a failure, the results are right again. There is euphoria among fans and the media.
After the last game in October she improved a little. Germany won 1-0 against the European Championship semi-finalists Netherlands, although important players were missing. The goal was scored by Jamie Leweling, who was previously unknown to many. Since then, the group victory has been in the Nations League It is almost certain that the two games against Bosnia-Herzegovina and in Hungary (Saturday and Tuesday, 8:45 p.m. each) should round off the year of the big comeback.
This was preceded by a unique low. After three disappointing tournaments, the national team lost more than half of their games in 2023. This has never happened before.
Now she’s back. Under Julian Nagelsmann The DFB selection experienced its best year since 2016 or even 2014. The record: nine wins, three draws, only one defeat – in extra time, shortly before the end, against the strong Spaniards, who were lucky that the referee overlooked a handball .
The national team has won back its nation and is aiming for big goals. Nagelsmann wants to become world champion in the summer of 2026, he said that immediately after the European Championship exit. High goals are indeed possible with this team. For the first time in a long time she was playing for a title again. The 1:2 against Spain, currently the best team (at least) in Europe, was the most intense and exciting game of the European Championship. Too bad it was already the quarter-finals. It would have been a worthy finale.
The protagonist of the elf is David Raum
“There’s not much missing from Spain,” said Rudi Völler after the tournament. Nagelsmann struck a similar note. However, they could be wrong.
It’s true, the progress cannot be overlooked. A unity on the pitch creates a unity with the fans again. Florian Wirtz’s equalizing goal against Spain was the emotional highlight of the football year (for some fans, the entire year). The 21-year-old from Leverkusen is one of the three outstanding young German kickers who are likely to form the German attack in the next five to ten years.
Jamal Musiala and Kai Havertz, who is controversial in public but is valued by the national coach as an Arsenal regular, have similar talent on the ball. In the 5-0 win against Hungary in September, actually an unpleasant opponent, the three thrilled the audience.
But it’s not just the individual class that creates the new strength. The German team again has what is called an identity. Contrary to his reputation, the impulsive Nagelsmann does not impress with his tactical order, his team does not change the system every ten minutes, nor does it follow the style of the technicians Wirtz, Havertz and Musiala. Instead, she goes to work with enormous passion. Your protagonist is more like Leipzig’s David Raum, who straddles back and forth.
A current lesson from football: Everything doesn’t have to go downhill in Germany in the long run, things can quickly change for the better. A year ago, after two more defeats against Türkiye and Austria, there was a feeling in the country that nothing would ever happen again with the national team. Since then the situation has changed. The European Championships were not a failure, the results are right again. There is euphoria among fans and the media.
After the last game in October she improved a little. Germany won 1-0 against the European Championship semi-finalists Netherlands, although important players were missing. The goal was scored by Jamie Leweling, who was previously unknown to many. Since then, the group victory has been in the Nations League It is almost certain that the two games against Bosnia-Herzegovina and in Hungary (Saturday and Tuesday, 8:45 p.m. each) should round off the year of the big comeback.
