In a press conference ahead of the Nations League clash with the Netherlands, Nagelsmann stressed the importance of having this internal group of players act as leadership liaisons for the rest of the squad. 'You always have to weigh up the current situation we are in and then it's about developing a long-term perspective, because there's a World Cup in two years. It could be that players are here now and are the right fit for the team, but they won't be here in two years. That's why we're doing quite well with the path we've chosen,' he explained.
Nagelsmann has centered his internal player leadership council around defensive leadership in what was once spearheaded by Manuel Neuer, Mats Hummels, Jerome Boateng, Toni Kroos and Thomas Müller, all of whom are not currently playing for the national team. Now, Joshua Kimmich is the captain of the team and at the head of the internal hierarchy of players, followed by Marc-André ter Stegen, Pascal Groß, and Antonio Rüdiger.
Germany could have won the match if a few calls had gone the other way. They did not show any signs of a hangover from the aforementioned quarter-finals loss to Spain when they thrashed Hungary 5-0 in Düsseldorf in the UEFA Nations League, setting a marker for what is to come under Nagelsmann in the buildup to the 2026 World Cup.
There is plenty of reason to be hopeful and optimistic for German football fans with the brand of football Nagelsmann has them playing. For now, there is a clear structure in place, balance within the team, and a clear vision under Nagelsmann.
Collection
[
|
...
]