News (engl.)

Germany’s FIFA World Cup in the USA, Canada and Mexico has come to an end in the round of 32 after a 4-3 penalty shootout defeat to Paraguay. Germany head coach Julian Nagelsmann reflected on the painful exit in an interview with DFB.de.

DFB.de: Julian, where did it go wrong against Paraguay?

Julian Nagelsmann: It wasn’t enough. Our build-up play was far too slow. We took too long to play our passes. After conceding, we looked unsettled. We needed to show more presence. Paraguay defended in numbers and we didn’t make enough of the situations we had. The truth is, though, that our second goal was perfectly legitimate. It’s a complete joke that it was ruled out.

DFB.de: What was the mood like in the dressing room?

Nagelsmann: Everyone was devastated. We’re bitterly disappointed because I really do think we have a very united squad, and there was no indication that we’d be going out today. I don’t blame the penalty takers. That has happened to plenty of great players before. That was only the final part of it. You have to be willing to face that pressure in the first place, and not everyone does that. We had 120 minutes to settle the game another way. When you go out of a tournament, those are moments that leave a mark.

DFB.de: What are the implications of the defeat?

Nagelsmann: I don’t want to talk about expectations. We haven’t achieved anything of note for 12 years. If you go out in the first knockout round, that is nowhere near enough for German football. It would be arrogant to say we are still among the best in the world. We’re not. We’re marked by the tournaments that came before this and we haven’t exactly been brimming with confidence. More would have been possible. We would have liked to test ourselves against France and get a feel for that level again.

DFB.de: Will you consider your own position?

Nagelsmann: I’m not someone who runs away. I’m ready to carry on if the association wants that. Even if there maybe wouldn’t be that many people pleased to see me continue. If that isn’t what they want, they have to tell me. But the three men involved (Bernd Neuendorf, Rudi Völler and Andreas Rettig) have character and won’t make a snap decision in passing. Everyone knows how I work as a coach and what I stand for. I know how football works. We’ve been producing tournaments like this for some time now. There are a few things that need to change fundamentally.

DFB.de: How would you assess Manuel Neuer’s tournament on his return?

Nagelsmann: We didn’t go out because of Manu. In the shootout, he brought us back into it. He gave us what we wanted from him. But there weren’t really the moments where he had the chance to show what he can do.