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Effenberg criticizes Nagelsmann: Never lose faith!”
Julian Nagelsmann assesses the 0-2 defeat against France, while Stefan Effenberg addresses critical points. DFB team before the 2026 World Cup.
Effenberg criticizes Nagelsmann: Never lose faith!”
After the 2-0 defeat against France in the game for third place in the Nations League, national coach Julian Nagelsmann commented on his team's problems. He noted that some offensive players were “tired” in the second half and felt like a goal wouldn’t be scored. This statement surprised football expert Stefan Effenberg, who criticized in his column that one should never lose faith, especially after a strong first half. Effenberg also criticized Nagelsmann's address to the players as inappropriate. He sees the need to identify the causes of performance fluctuations and find solutions, but expresses confidence in Nagelsmann's ability to overcome these challenges. The DFB team finished the Nations League final tournament in fourth place after losing 2-1 to Portugal in the semi-finals.
In the semi-finals, the DFB team showed deficits in speed in defense and in offensive play. The defeat against Portugal tested the team's performance. Nagelsmann said that psychologically the game for third place was not “fireworks” and emphasized the challenge of overcoming resistance and recognizing the strength of the team. DFB captain Joshua Kimmich spoke openly about a lack of performance and emphasized that the team was “never at the limit”. In his analysis, Kimmich said that a win against Portugal would have been possible if they had played better.
Criticism of the referee and VAR
The German team was completely out of the game at times in the second half. After the game, there were two controversial scenes that caused excitement: a canceled penalty for Karim Adeyemi after a VAR check and a foul on Niclas Füllkrug, which led to the canceled goal making it 1-1. Adeyemi, who received a yellow card for an alleged swish, said that he no longer gets penalties in the Bundesliga. Füllkrug is held responsible for a foul on Adrien Rabiot, but referee Ivan Kružliak rated both scenes as correct. Nagelsmann criticized the decision regarding Füllkrug and questioned the efficiency of the VAR, while at the same time arguing that it was there precisely to support the referee.
Future of the DFB team
The next big challenge for the German national soccer team will be the 2026 World Cup, which will be held in the USA, Canada and Mexico. The national team also has a few points to clarify in order to remedy the deficits in the offensive game and strengthen the team dynamic. Analysis of recent games will be crucial for the team's planning and development so that players are better prepared for the challenges ahead.