Nations League: Germany’s national team inspires again

Who would have ever thought that a mere game in the Nations League against old rivals from the Netherlands would become such an event? And that despite the fact that the result – a 1-0, which meant a place in the quarter-finals – wasn’t even that impressive on Monday evening in Munich.

The old competitors had often fought tough matches, not only at major tournaments, but also in this competition, which is perceived by many as a drag. But it’s not just about the result, but about the way the German national team presented itself: wit, aggressiveness, assertiveness – the Germans showed all of that against the Dutch.

Things looked bleak in November of the previous year

Anyone who would have predicted such a development just over a year ago might have been laughed at. At that time, the team of coach Julian Nagelsmann, who had only recently been appointed, was in seriously bad shape. They lost against Turkey in the Berlin Olympic Stadium and also in Vienna against Austria. The European Championship in their own country suddenly became a major threat, and the way Nagelsmann communicated was not designed to create trust. His choice of words, as hermetic as they were technocratic, irritated fans. And now? This coach, with whom the nation initially struggled, is celebrated uncontrollably.

He deserves it. Nagelsmann not only demonstrated a remarkable sense of pragmatism when he abandoned his original ideas before the European Championships and quickly formed a team that was the only team other than Spain to offer memorable games. He is now in the process of forging a team that will play much more than just an extra role at the upcoming World Cup. This is astonishing for several reasons. Because basically for him it’s about nothing more and nothing less than forming the combo from scratch.

Nagelsmann’s nomination rounds are like a debutante ball. In just 13 months he has called up exactly the same number of new players. And this sparks a very special dynamic. This was not entirely of his own free will, as Nagelsmann had to replace highly decorated veterans: the goalkeeper Manuel Neuer, the attacker Thomas Müller, the two midfield strategists Ilkay Gündogan and Toni Kroos, who had been brought back specifically for the World Cup. Experienced people who had a lot to pass on, but who were also an obstacle for the young people at some moments.

They were farewelled in Munich, and Thomas Müller, the 35-year-old Bavarian, was enthusiastic about the new German team: “I don’t know when the pendulum swung from ‘Everything is black’ to ‘Everything is very, very good’.” , he said on ZDF: “I think we are on a positive trend. You see players who want to get into the limelight because they think it’s great to play for Germany.”

This is a remarkable statement from a veteran who has attended seven major tournaments. Because it illustrates two things: firstly, that some developments in football cannot be easily explained. And on the other hand, what seemed unimaginable for a long time has happened: that players don’t just put on the national jersey for reasons of prestige, but because it’s great fun to play for Germany again.

Nagelsmann relies on ambitious newcomers

Müller knows exactly what he is talking about. He once experienced exactly this situation when national coach Joachim Löw relied on a generation of young players in 2010, of whom Müller was a member at the time. This development culminated in the World Cup victory in 2014. At Nagelsmann, it’s not just highly talented juniors like Leverkusen’s Florian Wirtz and Jamal Musiala from FC Bayern.

There are also a few older semesters there. For example, Tim Kleindienst from Borussia Mönchengladbach, a 29-year-old striker; Stuttgart’s Deniz Undav is also already 28. Dortmund’s Pascal Gross, who came back to the Bundesliga from Brighton & Hove Albion in the English Premier League, is a very late discovery at the age of 33.

The coach is also consciously experimenting in highly sensitive areas: with the young Bayern player Aleksandar Pavlovic and Stuttgart’s Angelo Stiller in the defensive midfield. Such openness not only leads to interesting results on the playing field. Suddenly you realize that VfB Stuttgart, which has made a remarkable development under its coach Sebastian Hoeness, has the most national players – and not FC Bayern, which has naturally claimed this privilege for itself over the past decade and a half.

Six Stuttgart players are there, including goalkeeper Alexander Nübel, who VfB borrowed from FC Bayern. He could become the new number one after Manuel Neuer, although Oliver Baumann from Hoffenheim did his job flawlessly against the Dutch. In an almost casual way, Nagelsmann has increased the competition. And this also has an astonishing effect on veterans: Bayern offensive player Serge Gnabry, for example, has not been seen more committed in the national team for a long time than against the Dutch.

The Spaniards can serve as a role model

Nagelsmann does not preach irreplaceability. But he is ready to give a chance to anyone who performs at his club. One person took notice very clearly: Jamie Leweling, offensive powerhouse at VfB Stuttgart. He not only scored the German goal, but also looked for a finish at every possible opportunity.

The Germans’ dominance against the Dutch also showed something else: they are taking the competition, which is so unloved by many, seriously – and are following the example of the Spaniards, who recently won the Nations League. The Spanish team is no longer characterized by blocks from Barcelona and Madrid; its composition is not at all dissimilar to the German team.

Nagelsmann had to find out the hard way in the quarter-finals of the European Championships where such a development could lead: there his team lost to the eventual European champions.