National football team
For Nagelsmann call: Newbies have to be “simply better”
Due to injury, Julian Nagelsmann had to make changes in October. Unexpectedly, some debutants cheered. If all national players are on board, it will be difficult for newcomers to get into the squad.
Being nominated for the German national football team as a newcomer is not that easy after the recent successes of the DFB selection. “Of course, inviting new players always means leaving someone else out,” said national coach Julian Nagelsmann before the penultimate group game in the Nations League today (8:45 p.m./RTL) in Freiburg against Bosnia-Herzegovina. “Currently with the squad we had at the European Championships or have now, I don’t feel like anyone deserves not to be there.”
The third goalkeeper, Stefan Ortega Moreno (32) from Manchester City, is the only newcomer in the squad of 22 professionals for the November games. He moved up because regular goalkeeper Marc-André ter Stegen was out for several months due to a serious knee injury. After a number of injury-related absences, Nagelsmann called up more newcomers for the October games. Five each made their debut for Germany, including goalkeepers Alexander Nübel and Oliver Baumann.
Also with the World Cup in mind: the squad should stay together
With the start of the Nations League in September, Nagelsmann’s goal was to change the squad as little as possible, especially with a view to the 2026 World Cup. “With a group like this that works well, others who come in from outside have to be a step better than those who are here,” said Nagelsmann on Friday evening.
The national coach was asked specifically about the chances of Malick Thiaw (23) from AC Milan, Yann Bisseck (23) from Inter Milan and Nicolas Kühn (24) from Celtic Glasgow. The trio had recently impressed with good performances in the club. Thiaw would not be a newcomer, he already has three international matches. If the three professionals are “a step better,” said Nagelsmann, “they will certainly be nominated sooner or later.”
After the end of the year on Tuesday (8:45 p.m. / ZDF) in Budapest against Hungary, the DFB selection continues in March with the two quarter-final games (first and second leg). Nagelsmann’s stated goal is to take part in the final tournament of the best four nations in June 2025.
dpa
