While Didier Deschamps said he had a fairly clear idea of the list of players he will take to Euro 2024, the German selection, which the France team faces in a friendly match on Saturday, is still in the middle of construction.
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Over the past 10 days, the German selection has experienced two small revolutions. The most recent, that of the change of equipment manufacturer with the move to Nike in 2027, announced Thursday, after more than 70 years of partnership with the national brand, Adidas. The other, that of “spring cleaning” as described by Der Spiegel, with the announcement of Julian Nagelsmann’s list for the friendly matches against France, Saturday March 23, then against the Netherlands. The coach has decided to do without many executives from the national team, to make room for six new players, three months before the Euro which Germany will organize.
“We are no longer at the top level in Europe”, was alarmed by Rudi Völler, sports director within the German Federation, after the crushing defeat of the Nationalelf (the national eleven) against Japan last September (1-4). In 2023, Germany has indeed had a very complicated year, with 6 defeats in 11 matches, and not necessarily against leading nations, for 3 victories, including that against France in a friendly match (2-1) and 2 draws. “It has not only been a difficult year, but five since the World Cup in Russia”, says Oliver Hartmann, editor-in-chief of Kicker, a German football magazine. The German team was in fact eliminated in the group stage of the World Cups in Russia and Qatar, and in the round of 16 of Euro 2022.
“Upheaval is a weak word” to describe the list of those summoned by Julian Nagelsmann
To remedy this and hope not to suffer the same fate at home this summer, Julian Nagelsmann was appointed coach in October, replacing Hansi Flick. A decision judged “too late” by Oliver Hartmann. The young technician will only have 8 matches on the Germany bench at the start of the Euro. “Nagelsmann doesn’t have much time left and must find a competitive squad and a starting XI. There are very few certainties, like with the return of Toni Kroos, who is not coming out of international retirement to stay on the bench. There are three main projects: finding a defense that holds up, finding a player to accompany Kroos in the middle, and knowing who to play with Kai Havertz and Jamal Musiala in attack.analyzes Ali Farhat, journalist specializing in German football for the German media DW and So Foot.
While the clock is ticking until the opening of the Euro, Julian Nagelsmann did not take half measures when shaking up his squad. “Upheaval is a weak word”, according to Der Spiegel, to qualify the latest list of the young coach, who has put many executives in the closet and called up six new faces. Mats Hummels, Niklas Süle, Julian Brandt, Leon Goretzka and Robin Gosens were not called up, in favor of players who do not necessarily play in the biggest Bundesliga teams, except Aleksandar Pavlovic (Bayern Munich): Maximilian Mittelstädt , Waldemar Anton and Deniz Undav (Stuttgart), Maximilian Beier (Hoffenheim), and Jan-Niklas Beste (Heidenheim). “It’s not about having the 20 best from the most famous clubs, but the 20 who get along best”justified the coach.
“The national team is on a downward slope, and many executives were there by their status and did not question themselves. It is a team which relied on its reputation. Players took their place for granted in selection. Nagelsmann has taken the problem head on. He is testing with players who are in good shape.”, summarizes Ali Farhat. “Jhe thinks he’s making too many changes, however tempers Oliver Hartmann. What’s interesting is that he takes the players who are currently in the best form in the Bundesliga. But none of them have international experience and they have very little time to reach the level required for a European championship. I’m sure Deschamps wouldn’t take any of the six.”
“A quarter-final would already be very good”
Unfortunately for Julian Nagelsmann, the testing phase will not go quite as planned during this international break, since Jan-Niklas Beste and Aleksandar Pavlovic, who are withdrawn, will ultimately not be able to honor their first selection, and he will also have to move on from Leroy Sané, suspended, and Serge Gnabry, who is returning from injury. Few signals are therefore green, which does not bring much optimism in Germany, which will find itself in the pool of Scotland, Hungary and Switzerland at the Euro. “The president of the federation publicly declares that he wants his team to reach the semi-finals. But Nagelsmann replied that it was possible to have a successful tournament even if you lost in the quarters, provided you have shown good things in the first matches. explains Ali Farhat.
As for the supporters, the story is the same. Are they optimistic for their team a few months before “their” Euro? “No way, replies, laughing, Oliver Hartmann. A quarter-final would already be very good.” Ironically about the level of their national selection, German fans even elected Emre Can player of the year 2023, to show that no player had been good, while the latter, a defensive midfielder, only took part ‘in six matches, including 4 defeats, of the Nationalelf last year. Far from being the favorites of their Euro, the Germans can only dream of a destiny similar to that of Ivory Coast, winner of the African Cup of Nations, at home, by defying the predictions .