Between Germany, quarter-finalist of “its” Euro-2024 at home – elimination against the future Spanish winner -, and the Netherlands, eliminated by the English in the semi-finals, it is a prestigious poster for European football which awaits the 66,000 spectators at the Allianz Arena in Munich.
After three days of the Nations League, the Germans have seven points on the clock, against five for the Dutchupset on Friday in Budapest by Hungary (2-2 draw snatched in the last ten minutes).
A success on Monday will send the Mannschaft to play the quarter-finals of the Nations League at the end of March 2025a competition which has never succeeded, launched in 2018 at the start of its continued decline after a World Cup in Russia ended in the group stage when it was the title holder.
At the end of autumn 2023, the Germans were still slumbering after a catastrophic year in terms of results (one point on average over the 11 friendly matches played), with a coach, Hansi Flick, dismissed (a first for Germany) in the middle of a rally in September.
Since his arrival at the head of the selection, Julian Nagelsmann has undertaken to restore Germany, quadruple world champion and triple European champion, in her place in the world football hierarchy.
“He does us good”
German autumn, with two home victories against Hungary (5-0) and Bosnia-Herzegovina (2-1) and a draw from Amsterdam against the Netherlands (2-2)confirms the summer hopes of a return to the forefront of the Mannschaft, which ended during “its” Euro-2024 with a cruel defeat in the quarterfinals against Spain (2-1, ap).
Of the thirteen players launched into the international deep end by Nagelsmann since taking office, Deniz Undav is the latest to have distinguished itself. Lately called up for selection (in March 2024 at age 27) thanks to a big season with Stuttgart, Undav was initially a backup solution for Nagelsmann (he only played six minutes at the Euro), behind Niclas Füllkrug and Kai Havertz.
The native of Varel (northern Germany) rushed into the breach opened by physical problems of Füllkrug and Havertz, for a first start in September in the Netherlands (a goal), then a second in October in Bosnia-Herzegovina (victorious double).
With the retirement of Ilkay Gündogan, the place behind center forward is vacant, a position which perfectly suits Undav’s qualities as he proved on Friday in Zenica. “He is extremely difficult to defend against due to his low center of gravity and he turns well against defenders“, underlined Nagelsmann after the match in Bosnia-Herzegovina.
“There is good competition for this position, but he is someone we are happy to have with us, he is doing very well. He doesn’t need a lot of chances, that’s the key“, praised the coach, who also appreciates Undav’s character.
“He’s really cool, positive, he loves life, he does us good, on and off the field. Not having it would be a bad thing. He has a cool way of taking the team with him, he treats everyone the same, he does it very well.”
