Joachim Löw reflects on the 2008 UEFA EURO. In this DFB.de interview, the German coach speaks about the disappointing loss against Spain in the final, but also praises the overall effort of his team throughout the tournament.
Question: Joachim Löw, how do you evaluate the 1-0 loss against Spain?
Joachim Löw: Spain managed to play on a very lofty level. Their ball-handling is splendid, and they had quite a few quality scoring opportunities. We should have avoided their goal, but they really were more potent offensively. Spain deserved to win.
Question: Does that make the loss easier to cope with?
Löw: Everybody is very disappointed right now. We came close. However, my team deserves all the praise in the world. They fought hard for these few weeks, they really never stopped running. We also enjoyed each other’s company, and everybody treated each other with respect. I feel satisfied about that aspect of the tournament as well.
Question: Can you tell us about your post-game locker-room speech?
Löw: I told them to keep their head up. We played in the final of the 2008 European Championships. That is something very special.
Question: Why did you lose that game, what makes the difference between Spain and Germany right now?
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Joachim Löw reflects on the 2008 UEFA EURO. In this DFB.de interview, the German coach speaks about the disappointing loss against Spain in the final, but also praises the overall effort of his team throughout the tournament.
Question: Joachim Löw, how do you evaluate the 1-0 loss against Spain?
Joachim Löw: Spain managed to play on a very lofty level. Their ball-handling is splendid, and they had quite a few quality scoring opportunities. We should have avoided their goal, but they really were more potent offensively. Spain deserved to win.
Question: Does that make the loss easier to cope with?
Löw: Everybody is very disappointed right now. We came close. However, my team deserves all the praise in the world. They fought hard for these few weeks, they really never stopped running. We also enjoyed each other’s company, and everybody treated each other with respect. I feel satisfied about that aspect of the tournament as well.
Question: Can you tell us about your post-game locker-room speech?
Löw: I told them to keep their head up. We played in the final of the 2008 European Championships. That is something very special.
Question: Why did you lose that game, what makes the difference between Spain and Germany right now?
Löw: It’s too early, we need more time to digest the game. Right now, emotions make any analyses very difficult. But we all know about some very visible deficits. When it comes to game tactics, we really played below the level we have shown these past two years.
Question: How about the performance of Michael Ballack?
Löw: I felt reliefed when he was cleared by our doctors to play on Sunday. He is such a leader. But I’d like to stay away from any individual criticism.
Question: How do you rate his performance throughout the tournament?
Löw: He was the leader. He did so much for our team, and he was a great representative of Germany.
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Question: Are the Spaniards a role-model?
Löw: I think so, they are the gold standard right now. Their talent development is fabulous. Their individual players have grown because of the experiences in the Champions League. When they have the ball, they are incredibly strong.
Question: How about your team after this tournament? Where does Germany rank?
Löw: We are among the European elite and even among the best teams in the world. We have matured over the last few years. But we cannot afford to slacken in our effort.
