From 1954 to 2014, Germany was a powerhouse in the World Cup. Die Mannschaft won four titles, lost four finals, and advanced to the knockout stages in every tournament. Inexplicably, Germany failed to make it out of the group stage in both 2018 and 2022, under 2014 winner Joachim Löw and Bayern Munich's 2020 sextuple manager Hansi Flick, respectively. Since winning the World Cup in 1966, England has consistently underperformed compared to lofty expectations.
"I'm responsible for the plan and the positioning, but ultimately the players are the most important thing. At halftime, I told the lads that we were 2-0 down due to two set pieces and that we didn't need to hide. We only made minor adjustments at halftime and did much better in the second half."
Former Bayern Munich winger Leroy Sané always ended up with decent statistics during his tenure at the club, but he never quite reached the level of heights predicted for him when he made the long-anticipated move to Bavaria from Manchester City in 2020. Funks and slumps marred Sané's time with Bayern Munich as he failed to achieve consistency. Last summer, the winger moves on to Galatasaray, ending his time with Bayern Munich as a disappointment to many fans.
Borussia Dortmund will reportedly compete with Bayern Munich in the race to sign 24-year-old German international Nick Woltemade from Newcastle United this summer. According to a report by TEAMtalk, Nick Woltemade is the subject of interest of Bayern Munich. The Bundesliga champions are keen on reinforcing their offensive unit by signing a striker in the summer transfer window. So, the 24-year-old Newcastle United centre-forward has emerged as a target for the Bavarian outfit.
Bayern Munich suffered an injury blow last week as Manuel Neuer came off at halftime against Werder Bremen due to a calf strain. He is expected to be on the sidelines for at least three weeks, missing the crucial Bundesliga clash against Borussia Dortmund at the end of February. The injury to Neuer will allow Urbig to strengthen his case to become Neuer's long-term successor. The young goalkeeper has made a positive impression whenever he has started for Die Roten since arriving from FC Koln at the start of 2024.
"Yes, he does. What he's achieved with VfB Stuttgart is truly remarkable," Hoeneß said, as captured by @iMiaSanMia. "He took them over when they were at the bottom of the table, won the cup, played in the Champions League, and now they're back in the top five and in the cup semi-finals, despite losing some top players. He's really capable."