News (engl.)

Germany’s men’s national team beat Finland 4-0 in their final friendly on home soil ahead of the upcoming FIFA World Cup. In an interview with DFB.de, head coach Julian Nagelsmann discussed the performance and Saturday’s final pre-tournament friendly against the USA in Chicago.

Question: Mr. Nagelsmann, what did you make of the win over Finland?

Julian Nagelsmann: There are never games where everything is perfect. The first 15 minutes were outstanding, but then the lads were so desperate to score that they became impatient. It was much better in the second half. We need to trust our own strengths more in those moments. We have so many good footballers who are always up for it, but sometimes they’re too eager. I don’t want to rein them in, but channel that energy in the right direction.

Question: Deniz Undav was the match-winner with two goals and an assist. How did you assess his performance?

Nagelsmann: Deniz was very dangerous in the box and had a good game. Given the form he’s in, the first goal was straightforward for him, and for the second he made a very good run and showed great composure. He played an awful lot for Stuttgart and barely had a break, so he’s feeling the workload. That’s why we have to manage him a little. But he looked happy in the dressing room.

Question: After another strong performance from the start, is Lennart Karl now hard to leave out?

Nagelsmann: We’ll see over the next week and a half. A lot has happened for him over the past few months, and processing all of that is one of the biggest challenges at his age. He did well and created space for others. But you all saw Leroy Sané’s impact off the bench too – that was great. He brings incredible dynamism. Jamal [Musiala] “defended” that one situation very well, otherwise Leroy would have scored. And then we still have Jamie [Leweling] as well.

Question: What makes Karl stand out?

Nagelsmann: He’s a creative footballer. You can’t force him into rigid structures, otherwise he loses his flow. He already does a lot of things right, but there’s still plenty he can improve too. There isn’t one specific area, though. He has only just become a professional and is right at the start of his career.

Question: Can we assume that the double pivot of Aleksandar Pavlović and Felix Nmecha will start at the World Cup?

Nagelsmann: Pavlo is very hard-working and covers a lot of ground, and so does Felix, who plays a bit higher for us than he does at Dortmund. I was happy with both of them, and they worked very well together. But we also have Angelo [Stiller] who has had a very good season. We have Pascal [Groß], who is a little more attacking and was on an upward trajectory at Brighton. And then there’s Leon [Goretzka], who has trained very well.

Question: What did you make of the crowd’s reaction to Oliver Baumann playing?

Nagelsmann: Very good. The way they welcomed him and celebrated him during the game was a lovely sign. He’s an important part of our team, has shown a fantastic attitude and had an excellent game.

Question: What is your plan for Kai Havertz?

Nagelsmann: Kai will join us directly in the USA. He’s raring to go. We need Kai, and his goal in the Champions League final was extraordinary. You saw how important he is, how hard he works defensively and how strong he is in the air, including defending set pieces. He’s a very good person, a really good guy and a top player. He will put in good performances.

Question: Nathaniel Brown was given the nod ahead of David Raum at left-back. How do you see the competition there?

Nagelsmann: Nene has huge potential. He’s very strong one-on-one, has real pace, goes about things very cleverly and feels comfortable in the half-space. David has a few minor knocks he’s still carrying. They are two very good players with different playing styles, and both of them could start.

Question: What are you expecting from the final pre-World Cup friendly against the USA in Chicago?

Nagelsmann: It will be a very emotional game in a city that isn’t hosting a World Cup match, against the co-hosts in their final friendly. As a country, it has been a long time since they have experienced similarly big games – probably since 1994. There isn’t an obvious tactical plan there that reflects one of our group opponents in particular. It’s more about absorbing the emotion and arriving at the tournament.