National soccer team: Nagelsmann’s findings: World class, but not there

After the goal festival against Bosnia-Herzegovina and the group win in the Nations League, Julian Nagelsmann was asked about a parallel to one of the greatest moments in German football history. This 7-0 was perhaps reminiscent of the legendary 7-1 in the 2014 World Cup semi-final against Brazil in terms of ease and joy of playing?

The national coach didn’t want to go along with this comparison completely, but he didn’t think it was completely wrong either. “The importance of the game was much greater back then, but we also had the desire today,” said Nagelsmann. How fitting that world champion coach Joachim Löw was in the stadium in Freiburg. “He certainly felt quite entertained,” said the national coach about his predecessor as a guest in the stands.

Decent entertainment is a decent understatement for what the national team offered with their scoring spree in the last home game of the European Championship year. After the final group game in Hungary on Tuesday (8.45 p.m./ZDF), which was downgraded to a test match, Nagelsmann’s next year will now be about the first proof of his ability to win the title in the Nations League World Cup test run. In any case, the course is set correctly.

The national team is world class again

What Oliver Bierhoff wanted to organize as a project after the tournament disappointments in 2018 and 2021, Julian Nagelsmann achieved through action in 2024. The DFB team is once again one of the best teams in the world. The title of world class is appropriate again, even if the national coach is still cautious in public. “We are closer to it,” said Nagelsmann. But he doesn’t see himself as having reached his goal yet, despite the recent football celebrations.

“It’s always difficult to evaluate because you don’t play against every opponent. There will be better opponents than today, but the development is good. We are on the right path, but it is still a path, a process we have to go,” said the national coach. When it comes to the draw for the quarter-finals on Friday, no one will want the German team as co-rivals.

Nagelsmann’s only big disappointment of the year serves as the driving force. “We played a decent European Championship at home, but were still eliminated in the quarter-finals, so there’s a lot of mystery in that we want to progress,” he made it clear.

Musiala is an incredible stroke of luck

Jamal Musiala needed 80 seconds. Then the first moment of happiness was perfect with his new header goal. Nagelsmann sees the 21-year-old as more than just the football wizard he is currently celebrated as everywhere. The Munich native impresses the national coach with a personality trait that makes him a model student.

“Many young players who want to become professionals can do well with him. He listens extremely well, he always wants to know everything, gets scenes, wants to get better. He doesn’t have the status mindset that he’s the superstar and nothing more learns, he is extremely open and in the end he rewards himself,” Nagelsmann enthused.

The competition works

Anyone who wanted to learn something about the character and competition in this national team had to take a closer look after a good hour. Musiala, Florian Wirtz, Maximilian Mittelstädt and Robert Andrich out. Serge Gnabry, Leroy Sané, Benjamin Henrichs and Felix Nmecha come in. And nothing changes. Germany continues to play for speed and goals.

“It’s 5-0 and we’re bringing four players and all four are giving full throttle, that’s a very good step,” said Nagelsmann. A feeling that Tim Kleindienst also shared after his debut goals. “Everyone’s up for it, everyone’s interested, they’re pushing themselves to the limit. It’s nice to see that it’s working out like that.”