Can the magic duo's plan be successful?
During the home European Championship, attention focuses on two young German football players: Jamal Musiala and Florian Wirtz. They prefer not to "die beautifully" and also handle the dirty work – but do they really work together? They could use a hand.
Laughter comes in different forms. Sometimes it appears, just like Toni Kroos, one of the most successful German football players. He's achieved numerous titles throughout his career. Consequently, he's hardly nervous on the field, as the 34-year-old recently explained. Or it just comes naturally. That's how it is for both Jamal Musiala and Florian Wirtz.
The pair exudes a remarkable chemistry that's challenging to define. On the field, of course, but also off the field. Although they've never played together in a club, they've known each other through the national team. In the past, under "Jogi," as Musiala remembers, they clicked right from their first training sessions. Since then: Before they speak, they confirm with eye contact who's saying something. And eventually, they start making jokes, hoping to play together at a club as well.
Both display an unassuming lightness from the DFB press center podium. Musiala points out that Wirtz is good at table tennis, and Wirtz responds with "Musiala is a good boy." Their unscathed demeanor suggests they've weathered the turbulent crisis years of the German football national team. While Wirtz missed the disastrous Qatar 2022 tournament due to a torn cruciate ligament, Musiala participated at age 19, darting through defensive lines but failing to score a goal. He was more pitied than criticized, being considered a future hope.
No Dying Beautifully
Now, however, their time has arrived. Both are among the world's top football talents. The stakes are high at home during the European Championship. The German team demands their performance. The plan is straightforward: Kroos, the veteran, ensures team comfort. Musiala and Wirtz - and that's not just the two of them: "We don't want to die beautifully," says Musiala.
Nonetheless, this is precisely the issue that has plagued the German national team recently. In the warm-up game against Ukraine, they launched a total of 27 shots at the goal but failed to score. The glut of opportunities is one reason why the team crashed out in the group stage at the World Cup in Qatar. Nagelsmann, their new coach, doesn't indulge them completely. "We can't do whatever we want," says Musiala. It's all about creating opportunities and clinching goals. But it's not only that: "We also want to do the dirty work," Musiala continues. You already saw that during the warm-up games: Both dove headfirst into duels surprisingly often.
While conditions aren't ideal: Both have had long, exhausting seasons. Wirtz played a total of 49 mandatory games for Bayer Leverkusen along with national team commitments. And Musiala had a challenging year with FC Bayern, maintaining his fitness through injections and pills and not even playing in the last league games.
However, both youthful prodigies possess qualities that make them integral to the German team. They instinctively know what to do. As Bayer coach Xabi Alonso remarked in the "Sueddeutsche Zeitung" about Wirtz, "It's not always about the most spectacular move, but the smartest and best one." Musiala's mesmerizing dribbles are well-known. Wirtz refers to it as instinct, while Musiala finds it natural.
Yet they encountered limitations during the friendly against Ukraine. The German team (and possibly also in the opening match against Scotland) also employed four similar player types: Kai Havertz, İlkay Gündoğan, and naturally, Musiala and Wirtz. All prefer the outer line, feeling most at home in the half spaces surrounding the number six. The offensive play will be predictable, prompting the Ukrainian team to successfully intercept several times.
There's a big query: Can both wizards play together on the field during the EM? Does national coach Nagelsmann have to eat the sour fruit and split them because it's overcrowded in the center? There is someone on the bench who can sort things out (depth and speed): Bayern star Leroy Sané. If it doesn't work, he can also bring more definition to the field, hitting stronger than Wirtz and Musiala. Yet, it's presently uncertain how fit he is. Additionally, Niclas Füllkrug could be of assistance, especially if he's in the game; witnessing his runs to the baseline and crosses.
However, Wirtz isn't phased by tackling the problems himself. "We're not easy to read", he says. "We have a lot of ideas in our play and have trained hard to always have answers, regardless of the opposition's arrangement." Furthermore, they aren't on their own. Captain Gündoğan is also there. "He's the experienced guy who gives us little pointers", explains Musiala. "He also holds the structure for us, so we don't have to worry much about some tactical matters."
Nagelsmann's in a pickle: Wirtz, Musiala, Gündoğan, Sané - one has to step back. And the magic duo needs the captain to keep the wizardry flowing. And to be loose.
