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Sport — News — Julian Nagelsmann — Bavaria — Toni Kroos — National soccer team — Germany — DFB — Final — DFB squad — Soccer — Herzogenaurach — Joachim Löw — Munich — Stuttgart — Mantra — Rudi Völler — ARD — European Football Championship — Mandatory match — EM — Spain — National team

Völler as Spain factor - Löw's long suffering

That would also have been a great final. But Germany already face Spain in the quarter-finals. It brings back memories - all the way back to an important match at the last European Championship at home.

,   and  Alex Stellmacher
3 min read
The DFB team will face Spain in the European Championship quarter-finals.
The DFB team will face Spain in the European Championship quarter-finals.

European Football Championship - Völler as Spain factor - Löw's long suffering

Spain was the mantra of German football for years. Technically unique, tactically ahead.

Before the quarter-final on Friday (18.00 Uhr/ARD/Magenta TV) in Stuttgart, a look back at the history of this duel reveals that someone in the German football team's squad represented Spain twice in finding a solution. Julian Nagelsmann, the German national team coach, lacks no Spanish experts.

The Völler Factor I

The last German mandatory win against Spain actually goes back 36 years. And the signs should give the DFB team courage. In Munich on 17 June 1988, during the home European Championship, and in a different format, Germany needed at least a draw in the last group game in Munich. But they managed to win. The main contributor to this with a double score: Rudi Völler, today DFB sports director.

The Völler Factor II

Völler was not only involved in the last German mandatory win against Spain. He was also in a responsible role during the highest DFB win in the 26 encounters (9 wins, 9 draws, 8 losses). After the European Championship debacle in 2000, he took over as interim team manager. In the debut on 16 August in Hannover, Spain was the first opponent. And Germany scored the first and only four goals against Spain. Mehmet Scholl and Alexander Zickler scored doubles in the 4:1.

Löw's teaching and suffering time

The first years of Joachim Löw's era as German national team coach were marked by important duels with Spain - and many learning experiences. At the European Championship in 2008, there was a 0:1 in the final, the same result at the World Cup in 2010 led to Germany's elimination in the semi-finals. Löw declared Spanish Tiki-Taka as the football doctrine. In total, he only managed one test win against the big role model - a 1:0 in November 2014 in Vigo through a goal from Toni Kroos.

A painful ending was the 0:6-demolition in the Nations League in Sevilla in November 2020. A few months later, Löw announced his retirement after the European Championship 2021.

Familiar faces

Toni Kroos received an emotional farewell at Real Madrid. Antonio Rüdiger is respected as a pillar in the defense at Chelsea. Ilkay Gündogan made himself indispensable at Barcelona in a season and Marc-André ter Stegen is the foreigner with the most appearances at the Catalans, behind Lionel Messi. The four German professionals enjoy great respect in Spain. Leverkusen's Alejandro Grimaldo and Leipzig's Dani Olmo are also in the squad, and Striker Joselu has also played in the Bundesliga.

By the way, one of the three Real professionals in Spain's squad: His double pack knocked Bayern out of the Champions League semifinals. But not only the five Munich players Manuel Neuer, Joshua Kimmich, Jamal Musiala, Leroy Sané and Thomas Müller in the squad have current revenge desires.

The two Leipzig players David Raum and Benjamin Henrichs lost to the royal class against Real in the quarterfinals. The three Dortmund players Niclas Füllkrug, Nico Schlotterbeck and Emre Can still have painful memories of the final at Wembley.

  1. Despite Julian Nagelsmann's Spanish expertise, Germany faces Spain in the quarter-final on FRIDAY.
  2. The last time Germany compulsorily defeated Spain was 36 years ago in Munich during the European Championship.
  3. Rudi Völler, now DFB sports director, was the main contributor to that win with a double score.
  4. Völler was also involved in Germany's highest win against Spain, scoring four goals in a 4-1 victory during his interim stint as team manager.
  5. Joachim Löw suffered numerous losses against Spain, including the 0-1 in the Euro 2008 final and the 0-1 elimination in the World Cup 2010 semi-finals.
  6. Löw acknowledged Spanish Tiki-Taka as the football doctrine but managed a 1-0 win against Spain in 2014 thanks to Toni Kroos.
  7. Toni Kroos, Antonio Rüdiger, Ilkay Gündogan, and Marc-André ter Stegen have left indelible marks in Spain, while Leverkusen's Alejandro Grimaldo and Leipzig's Dani Olmo are also in the Spanish squad.
  8. Spain's squad includes three Real professionals who knocked Bayern out of the Champions League semifinals.
  9. The five Munich players in the Germany squad have revenge desires against Spain, following their experienced and painful defeats.
  10. Two Leipzig players, David Raum and Benjamin Henrichs, also have unfinished business against Real Madrid, having lost to them in the quarterfinals.

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