Das Land der aufgehenden Sonne war Deutschland am Sonntag nicht wirklich. Zumindest für alle, die die Sache im südwestlichen Zipfel der Bundesrepublik gen Osten betrachteten. Das hatte sich angedeutet. Am Samstag noch durchbrachen ein paar Sonnenstrahlen die Wolkendecke über Freiburg, ehe sich nicht nur die Dunkelheit, sondern auch November-Nebel über die Stadt im Breisgau samt Stadion in ihrem Norden legte, in dem die deutsche Fußball-Nationalmannschaft gegen Bosnien-Hercegovina spielte.
Wem diese Gemengelage nicht die Sinne vernebelte, der konnte an diesem Abend beim 7:0-Sieg, der den Deutschen Platz eins der Nations-League-Gruppe schon vor dem abschließenden Spiel in Ungarn am Dienstag (20.45 Uhr im F.A.Z.-Liveticker zur Nations League und im ZDF) sicherte, etwas erkennen, das noch vor acht Monaten schier undenkbar schien. Nach dunklen Jahren, tristen Turnieren und trüben Aussichten muss inzwischen niemand mehr den Untergang des Abendlandes fürchten, wenn die Elf des Deutschen Fußball-Bundes (DFB) zur Prime Time im Programm auftaucht.
Ganz im Gegenteil. Das 7:0 war beste Unterhaltung am Samstagabend, selbst ohne Spannungsbogen. Die Nationalmannschaft hat wieder Spaß, die Nationalmannschaft macht wieder Spaß. Und wer sich lange genug umschaute an diesem nasskalten Abend und in viele Gesichter blickte in Freiburg, der kam kaum umhin, Erwärmendes festzustellen: Fußball-Deutschland ist wieder ein Land des Lächelns.
„Es macht einfach sehr viel Spaß gerade“
Da war Jamal Musiala, der lächelte und sich schon nach gut einer Minute Spielzeit immer wieder an den Kopf tippte. Mit dem hatte er nach dem 2:0 für den FC Bayern in Bochum und dem 1:0 für den FC Bayern gegen Benfica nun auch das 1:0 für Deutschland gegen Bosnien-Hercegovina erzielt. „Ich bin echt stolz auf den Kopfball“, sagte Musiala. „Die anderen waren einfach, aber der war ein richtiger Kopfball.“
Da war Tim Kleindienst, der lächelte, weil ihm sein erstes Länderspieltor im Stile eines gewitzten Torjägers gelang, der sofort, als der Ball im Netz lag, mit erhobenem Finger anzeigte: Ich war‘s. Beim Schuss von Robert Andrich hatte Kleindienst noch einen kleinen Kontakt, der den feinen Unterschied ausmachte, ob der Ball ins Tor geht oder nicht. Und als der Mittelstürmer noch ein zweites Mal im dritten Länderspiel traf und später darüber redete, bekam er das Lächeln gar nicht mehr aus dem Gesicht: „Es ist ein Traum, der in Erfüllung gegangen ist.“
There was Kai Havertz, who smiled because he had little to smile about recently in England at Arsenal FC, as his club was weak and he was plagued by a heavily bleeding laceration that burst open again. Now he received the ball, which he had previously passed to Florian Wirtz, perfectly in front of the goal, not at head height, but near the ground, without the assist provider making eye contact.
There was the same Wirtz who smiled because he had recently suffered from an upset stomach and could hardly train. After recovering, he practiced some free kicks with crooked trajectories under the critical eye of the national coach. Julian Nagelsmann assessed the probability of success in the game as low. Wirtz taught the national coach otherwise. When he added a second goal with the instinct of a goalscorer, he smiled even more: “It’s just a lot of fun right now.”
There was Pascal Groß, who smiled even though he was the victim of a ridiculous action. His shot was blocked by teammate Serge Gnabry just in front of the goal line, albeit unintentionally. But even this strange moment didn’t stop the fun: “We had some fun in the dressing room,” said the prevented goalscorer Groß – and praised attacker Gnabry: “He defended it brilliantly.”
There was Leroy Sané, who smiled when he hadn’t yet scored to make it 6-0. It was striking how those who came into the game were looking forward to what lay ahead of them and those who left the game were looking forward to what lay behind them. And it reflects the general mood that has spread since March, when Nagelsmann gave the team a new structure with clear roles.
And that’s why there were Nagelsmann, Sandro Wagner and Benjamin Glück, his assistants, who also smiled as they left the pitch that evening after their congratulatory tour. He who laughs last laughs best. Nagelsmann and his coaching team not only managed to successfully prepare the German team for the European Championship in their own country at the last minute, they also have the newly awakened desire for the national team from the summer for the games in the previously somewhat ridiculed nation League preserved. This concerns the fans who have rediscovered the old football hit “Oh, how beautiful that is” – unlike recently, but without any irony – and now sing it almost as often as “Major Tom” at the DFB team’s home games.
But that also affects the national players. Last week, Nagelsmann wasn’t the only one who liked to point out how great it was to play in the national team, despite the high level of stress and despite the fact that the games weren’t all that high in terms of sport. Such statements can turn out to be empty words when there is no sign of the joy on the pitch. But even when Bosnia-Hercegovina was no longer an opponent who could contest the three points, the Germans simply continued to enjoy their own game. Why? “Because everyone is up for it,” said Kleindienst. Before answering the question of where this drive came from, goalkeeper Baumann tapped his heart: “From here, from within.”
Even for Nagelsmann, who, according to Wirtz, verbally called for continued enthusiasm at halftime, “such a greedy team is not a given in November after so many games.” But how does a coach instill in his players this greed that goes beyond the normal ambition of professional athletes? “It helps if you hate losing,” said the national coach. That doesn’t mean that you can’t deal with defeats fairly in a sporting manner. “I had to learn that too. What I don’t like is when people say: ‘You have to be able to lose too.'” Accepting defeats and drawing the right lessons from them, yes, but nothing else, because: “Anyone who can lose well will never be a good one Be a winner.”
The Germans haven’t really gained much in recent years. It’s been almost two years since the footballers from the land of the rising sun started the German World Cup debacle in Qatar. It was a good year ago that the Japanese also sealed the end of national coach Hansi Flick. The Germans went from being a big player in world football to being a laughing stock at times. These dark days are currently a faint memory at best. Germany is shining again these days: as a football country of smiles.
