National team - The DFB players' testimony to the European Championship: Future trump card "Wusiala"
The biggest trump card of the Football-National Team with the new fixed point World Cup 2026 is named "Wusiala". The young stars Jamal Musiala and Florian Wirtz are among the biggest winners in the squad at home-EM. Julian Nagelsmann used 23 players in the five games until the quarterfinal exit against Spain.
Robin Koch remained - just like the backup goalkeepers Marc-André ter Stegen and Oliver Baumann - as the only field player without playing minutes. The national team coach spoke about a good personnel base for the future in his tournament summary at the weekend.
The EM certificate of the DFB players according to different role profiles:
The mainstays
Jamal Musiala: The best in the German team. Three goals, always an eye-catcher with the ball, cheered on by the fans. The Bayern professional was on his way to becoming the possible top star of the tournament. The Spaniards hindered him, at times even with underhanded tactics.
Florian Wirtz: The 21-year-old scored the first German tournament goal against Scotland - and the last one in the quarterfinal. The Leverkusen whirlwind was momentarily out of form. Against Spain, he was the game-changer after being substituted in.
Joshua Kimmich: Nagelsmann wanted him as a right-back. Kimmich played the complete 480 tournament minutes. A key player. His best performance came against Spain, including the header assist for Wirtz's goal.
Antonio Rüdiger: The defensive chief and emotional leader. The 31-year-old from Real Madrid played his best tournament. He celebrated defensive actions like strikers their goals. Own goal against Scotland. And Spain's Merino allowed him the header K.O. for the 1:2.
Ilkay Gündogan: The 33-year-old went into his first tournament as captain with skepticism. He quickly put those doubts to rest against Scotland and especially against Hungary. The quiet leader was a good organizer of the offense with his experience.
Manuel Neuer: Germany's record goalkeeper started with justified doubts in his eighth tournament as number one. He was a safety net in the end. Several important saves, four unintentional goals. Ter Stegen's time had to come now.
Jonas Hector: The late bloomer made his first tournament appearances in the ripe old age of 28 years with the Leverkusen championship. He earned his place among Rudiger. In the round of 16 against Denmark, he had to watch from the sidelines.
Toni Kroos: The royal one. His DFB comeback was a key factor in Nagelsmann's tactical plans. He started as a faultless passing machine at the EM, but couldn't maintain that level. 120 minutes against Spain were too much. Retirement from football effective immediately.
Robert Andrich: The man for the rough stuff in midfield. The Leverkusen player was the perfect complement to strategist Kroos. His physicality and two-footedness were valuable. He also stood out with special hair dyes.
Kai Havertz: He converted two penalties coolly. But otherwise: The Arsenal professional let too many chances go to waste, especially against Spain. As a playing number nine, he fits well with Musiala or Wirtz. His success rate in the final third needs to be improved urgently.
Maximilian Mittelstädt: Nagelsmann's surprise solution on the problem position on the left flank started well into the tournament. The Stuttgart player wavered then, but came back as a substitute against Spain. He has established himself after eight international games.
Niclas Füllkrug: The Top-Joker and Fan Favorite. The midfielder with the prominent tooth gap is already a win as a type. His second goal against Switzerland caused an emotional explosion. Against Spain without scoring luck, he scored a postage stamp goal instead.
Nico Schlotterbeck: The Dortmund defender got 30 rhythmic minutes against Switzerland. When he had to replace the suspended Tah in the quarterfinals against Denmark, he did a great job in the defensive center. Unlucky: His headed goal was disallowed by the VAR.
David Raum: When Mittelstädt faltered and his crossing ability became important, the Leipzig defender was there. His assist set up Füllkrug's goal against Switzerland. Later in the team, but against Spain's young star Jamine Yamal, he didn't look good before the 0:1.
Emre Can: Nominated as a backup for the young Munich player Aleksandar Pavlovic and then played four times. With the Joker goal against Scotland, it went great for the BVB captain. Nagelsmann's plan with him in the starting lineup against Spain didn't work out.
Pascal Groß: The man from Brighton was the backup for Kroos. He only got 45 minutes of playing time in the Euro opening match, as Andrich was yellow-carded. The 33-year-old had expected more from his tournament debut. Kroos is done. From now on, more Groß?
Waldemar Anton: The Stuttgart defense chief had to wait a long time for his tournament debut. Three minutes against Denmark, but 30 in the extension against Spain. He will return in September for the Nations League.
Thomas Müller: The tournament veteran was only a peripheral figure on the pitch. 17 minutes against Scotland, 41 minutes against Spain. Even at his fourth EM participation, he was scoreless. After 131 international games, he himself calculates with the end of his national team career.
Leroy Sané: The fans had to wait in vain for his tournament moment. And Nagelsmann hoped in vain for the Munich player, who was not fit for the tournament and whose starting lineup nominations against Denmark and Spain were unsuccessful.
The Minute-Men
The Stuttgart winger Chris Führich had hoped for more than 19 minutes against Hungary, just as his teammate Deniz Undav with seven minutes in the same game. Hoffenheim's youngster Maximilian Beier and Benjamin Henrichs only came on once. Nagelsmann praised the bench warmers: "They carried the group."
The DFB team's future in soccer looks promising with players like Jamal Musiala and Florian Wirtz, who shone at the home-EM. Joshua Kimmich, a key player, played every minute of the tournament, including his assist for Wirtz's goal against Spain. Antonio Rüdiger, the defensive chief, had a standout tournament, while Toni Kroos made a successful comeback to the DFB team.
In the role of backup goalkeepers, Marc-André ter Stegen and Oliver Baumann remained unused, while Robin Koch was the only field player without playing minutes. Nagelsmann praised the team's personnel base for the future after the tournament.
Jamal Musiala, the "Wusiala", was the star of the German team, scoring three goals and being a constant threat with the ball. Florian Wirtz, who scored against Scotland and Spain, showed his ability to turn a game around with his performance against Spain.
Joshua Kimmich, deployed as a right-back, was a crucial player for Nagelsmann's tactics. Antonio Rüdiger, the defensive leader, had his best tournament, celebrating defensive actions like strikers celebrate goals. Despite his own goal against Scotland, he played a vital role in the team.
Ilkay Gündogan, the 33-year-old captain, put doubts to rest with his performances, especially against Hungary. Manuel Neuer, the record goalkeeper, was a safety net, making several important saves despite conceding four unintentional goals.
Denmark and Scotland were opponents that the German team faced during the tournament, while Switzerland and Spain were other nations that presented challenges. Germany and Spain competed in the quarterfinals, with Spain ultimately emerging victorious.
Florian Wirtz was brought on as a substitute against Spain and changed the game, Jamal Musiala faced underhanded tactics from the Spaniards, and Joshua Kimmich's header assisted Wirtz's goal against Spain. Julan Nagelsmann, the team coach, spoke about a good personnel base for the future following the tournament.
The German team's EM performance saw players like Jamal Musiala, Florian Wirtz, Joshua Kimmich, Antonio Rüdiger, and Ilkay Gündogan stand out. Robert Andrich, David Raum, and Emre Can also made significant contributions to the team, while Leroy Sane was sadly unable to take part due to injury.
In Germany's next international soccer fixtures, players like Jamal Musiala, Florian Wirtz, and Joshua Kimmich are expected to continue their rise, while the DFB team will look to build on their experiences from the home-EM. Anton Wirtz, the star of the tournament, will continue to make waves in Herzogenaurach, and the DFB team will aim to rebound from their quarterfinal exit against Spain.
In the context of international soccer, Germany will face opponents like Denmark, Scotland, Switzerland, Spain, and Hungary in future matches. The DFB team will aim to use these encounters to prepare for major tournaments like the World Cup and the European Championships, with a focus on improving their performance and position in the world rankings. The future of the German soccer team looks bright with young stars like Jamal Musiala, Florian Wirtz, and Antonio Rüdiger, and the DFB team will continue to work towards becoming a fixed point in the world of soccer.
