Nagelsmann criticizes the DFB team in an extensive address
Following a scorching 5:1 victory over Scotland, the National Team gears up for the next European (EM) match against Hungary. The encouraging update before the Hungary face-off: All players are in top shape, and the head coach, Julian Nagelsmann, maintains his original lineup. Yet, his team's preparation for the Hungary encounter is far from typical.
With an uncharacteristically prolonged speech, National Team head coach Julian Nagelsmann called his entire EM squad together for the final practice session before the EM challenge against Hungary. Gathered on the sunny field in Herzogenaurach, Nagelsmann lined up the 26 German football national players in a circle and held court for several minutes. Just like before the 5:1 against Scotland, the concluding practice didn't take place at the usual venue.
The good tidings are: Nagelsmann can field his favored formation again, with Ilkay Gündogan leading the charge on Wednesday (18:00 on ARD, MagentaTV, and live on ntv.de). Nagelsmann sees no need for player swaps. However, the 36-year-old strategist underlined the importance of substitutes during tournaments. "It's crucial in a tournament that we have players from the bench who inject some energy," Nagelsmann underscored. Niclas Füllkrug and Emre Can stepped in as substitutes against Scotland.
Sporting Director Rudi Völler took a confident tone: "We aim to win our group."
If Germany emerges victorious against Hungary, who suffered a disappointing 1:3 loss in their opener against Switzerland, the German team could secure a quarter-final spot with six points already in the bag. Sporting Director Rudi Völler looks to the future with self-assurance. "We want to top our group," Völler declared.
Hungary, on the other hand, is facing a lot of pressure. Marco Rossi's team didn't live up to expectations in their 1:3 opening loss against Switzerland. Hungary draws inspiration from their recent performances against Germany, but they need to show significant improvement to keep pace with their tournament opener.
As history shows, the National Team has had a rocky relationship with Hungary. The EM 2021 ended in a nail-biting 2:2 draw in Munich. In the Nations League 2022, there were two 1:1 away losses and a 0:1 home defeat. The overall record slightly leans in favor of Germany with 13 wins, 12 draws, and 12 losses.
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In his address before the final practice session, Nagelsmann criticized some aspects of the DFB's preparations for the European Football Championship 2024, despite the team's impressive win against Scotland. Despite his criticisms, Nagelsmann expressed confidence in Julian Nagelsmann leading the National soccer team in their upcoming match against Hungary.
