On Tuesday, the German national soccer team lost 3-2 in a friendly against Belgium. And showed similar weaknesses as last time at the World Cup finals. Is there still hope for a successful European Championship next year in Germany? In our “3 on 1” series, three football experts give their opinion on the prospects for national coach Hansi Flick’s team. (You can find all episodes of “3 on 1” here.)
The expectations are too high
Esther Sedlaczek has been moderating the ARD sports show since 2021. At the 2022 World Cup, she analyzed the games alongside ex-national player Bastian Schweinsteiger. She says titles aren’t everything.
I’m not in a very positive mood at the moment. The short time it takes to form a team makes the task for Hansi Flick and his team anything but easy. I find it very courageous that numerous young players – some of whom are not necessarily regulars in their clubs – have been nominated.
It’s a difficult balance between “trying it out” and “playing it in” that needs to be struck. And the DFB and the national team have to manage to inspire and win back the fans. It won’t work without their euphoria and the joy of the EM in their own country.
But the time after the EM 2004 and the upcoming World Cup 2006 showed us that a change can also be achieved in the short term. The situation does indeed have certain parallels. But we probably have to get away from the idea that the title is the only thing that counts. As in 2006 with the summer fairy tale. Even if it wasn’t enough for the title, the World Cup was still an absolute success.
A successful EM is possible
Boris Buchler is a reporter, interviewer and filmmaker in the ZDF sports department. Since 1998 he has covered all men’s World and European football championships for the station. He says: The defense is the biggest obstacle.
The last three tournaments were a foul on the fan. If the fourth were to end prematurely as well, the image damage could hardly be corrected in the medium term.
A successful EM is within the realm of possibility if the highly talented Kai Havertz, Jamal Musiala and Florian Wirtz rise to managerial positions in the next 15 months – this new “dream trio” would be the most important prerequisite for providing a title-worthy team.
Behind them in midfield, Ilkay Gündogan, Joshua Kimmich and Leon Goretzka will invest everything in this tournament because they have not yet won a major title with the DFB team. Should this “Manchester-Munich trio” also ignite, the Euro could become a summer fairy tale 2.0. But only if the serious deficits on the defensive are remedied.
Because the Belgium game revealed that the defense – as at the World Cup – is not suitable for a tournament. This leads to disillusionment in the ranks instead of euphoria. In the remaining friendlies, the national team must finally get the audience behind them with convincing performances – but they can only touch the soul of the fans intensively again when it comes to titles and triumphs.
The team has enough quality
Julia Simic is a former German national football player. She is currently the assistant coach of the women’s U-16 national team and has been a regular Sky expert at the top games in the Bundesliga since the beginning of this season. She says success is possible.
I’m convinced that the German team will get the curve and even a bit euphoric. A European Championship in your own country is not only a unique experience in the career of every player, but will also create a new bond between fans and the team. With a success in the opening game in Munich, the team can get into a flow that will carry them through the tournament.
The disappointments of the past few years have shown that Germany is not automatically a “tournament team” and that success is not a matter of course. But it wasn’t all as bad as it was made out to be. The quality of the German players is undoubtedly sufficient for the highest level – but this individual class only comes into play through commitment, team harmony and practice. Those are the basic requirements.
I think it’s right that Hansi Flick is now testing many players. After that, it will be important to form the best team and commit to a framework as early as possible.
Player types such as Niclas Füllkrug and Emre Can in their current form embody virtues such as toughness in duels and the desire to defend, without which it is essential. That’s why the reaction of the team and the crowd after the sleepy first 30 minutes against Belgium makes me optimistic despite the defeat.
Brayden White, a veteran sports writer at Global Happening, brings his wealth of knowledge and expertise to the sports section. With over a decade of experience, he is committed to delivering high-quality coverage of the latest games and events.
