With an impressive victory, the DFB team concludes the year on a high note. However, Julian Nagelsmann’s focus is already on the challenges ahead.
Freiburg – In a spectacular display at the Freiburg Europa-Park Stadium, the DFB team claimed a remarkable 7-0 victory against Bosnia and Herzegovina in their last home game of the year, securing the group victory in the Nations League. This triumph raises eyebrows and poses the question: Is Germany on the brink of returning to the summit of world Football?
National coach Julian Nagelsmann, known for his perfectionism, had barely any criticisms for his team’s performance post-match. This speaks volumes about the current state of the squad. At the press conference following the game, Nagelsmann was asked if Germany is closer to the top of world football in 2024. The coach agreed but added, “It’s hard to say, as you don’t play against every opponent. There will be tougher opponents ahead than today.” He emphasized that the team is on a positive development trajectory, but there is still a process to undergo ahead of the 2026 World Cup.
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Nagelsmann reminded everyone that Germany, despite a solid home European Championship outing, exited in the quarter-finals against Spain, a defeat that still stings. Nonetheless, he highlighted the positive aspects and emphasized the importance of enjoying football: “It’s not always about everything working perfectly, and every pass being spot on. For me, it’s mainly about feeling that desire to win, or on the other hand, that hatred of losing.”
Nagelsmann, who has learned to cope with defeats throughout his career, takes issue with the notion that one must be able to lose. He strongly disagrees: “No, you don’t have to! You have to accept it. But it’s not about being able to lose; it’s about learning the right lessons from a defeat. Anyone who can lose will never be a true winner.” He praised his team’s commitment, which was evident even in the final training session during an internal tournament, where they gave their all and practically turned the pitch upside down.
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The impressive victory against Bosnia and Herzegovina was remarkable, despite the quality difference. The players could have slowed the pace after a commanding lead at halftime and let the game run its course casually. However, players like Jamal Musiala, Florian Wirtz, Kai Havertz, Tim Kleindienst, and later substitutes Leroy Sané, Serge Gnabry, Benjamin Henrichs, Felix Nmecha, and Robin Koch continued to play tirelessly and thrilled the audience with their joy for the game.
Under Nagelsmann, international matches have become high-octane events once again. What began on March 23 of this year with a 2-0 victory in Lyon against France has been consistently carried on by the team. Only in the game against the eventual European champions Spain did the necessary luck with a refereeing decision elude them, a decision that continues to spark debate. That was the only defeat in 2024. Given the current form of the team, it’s hard to envisage another loss in the final match in Hungary.
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