JULIAN NAGELSMANN PLAYERS SLAMS GERMANY AFTER 2-0 WORLD CUP QUALIFYING LOSS TO SLIVAKIA

Nagelsmann did not hesitate to call out his players after the shock 2-0 loss to Slovakia

Getty Images

It was a night to forget for Germany as they kicked off their 2026 World Cup qualifying campaign against Slovakia in Bratislava. Despite dominating possession, Julian Nagelsmann’s side looked devoid of creativity in attack and were vulnerable in defense en route to a 2-0 loss.

David Hancko’s goal for Slovakia shortly before the halftime whistle set to tone and David Strelec curled an effort into the top left corner in the 55th minute to complete the scoreline. By the closing stages of the match, several players in the German squad cut entirely frustrated figures, throwing arms in the air with every misplaced pass or chance as the inevitability of defeat set in.

After the match, Nagelsmann did not shy away from expressing his dissatisfaction.

“Apart from 2-3 injured players, these are the best quality players we have in Germany. Maybe next time we have to call up players with less quality but who will give everything on the pitch. I trust my players, but being simply a better player than the opponent is not enough if you don’t show willingness and desire,” the former Bayern Munich, RB Leipzig and Hoffenheim manager ranted (via @iMiaSanMia).

Nagelsmann also drew parallels from Bayern’s narrow 3-2 win over Wehen Wiesbaden in the first round of the DFB-Pokal to the Slovakia loss, taking a bit of a dig at the lack of fight he saw from players in his squad, which featured Joshua Kimmich, Leon Goretzka, Serge Gnabry, and Jonathan Tah.

“Why do you think a team like Wiesbaden almost drew 2-2 with FC Bayern? it’s not because they have better quality, but because they showed emotionality and desire,” Nagelsmann pointed out.

Next up for Germany is a home match in Köln against Northern Ireland. It is a must win for them if they don’t want to wind up in a bad spot after the first international break for qualifiers. Northern Ireland won their first match of qualifying 3-1 at Luxembourg.

The German national team hit the road to face Slovakia, looking to get off on the right foot for this round of World Cup qualifier action.

That did not happen.

Julian Nagelsmann — as he is prone to do — did some experimenting with his lineup and it did not work as the team dropped a 2-0 decision. The players were bad, the coaching was not great, and it was not a banner effort overall.

- Tom Adams

GERMANY COACH BLASTS PUBLIC BROADCASTER FOR ASKING IF THERE SHOULD BE MORE WHITE PLAYER'S IN HIS TEAM

AP

 HERZOGENAURACH, Germany (AP) — Germany coach Julian Nagelsmann says he's shocked that a public broadcaster asked participants in a survey if they would prefer more white players in the national soccer team.

Nagelsmann agreed Sunday with midfielder Joshua Kimmich’s comments the day before that the survey for German state broadcaster ARD was “absolutely racist” and said it was “madness for a public broadcaster to ask such a question.”

The survey of 1,304 randomly selected participants found 21% would prefer it if more players with white skin were playing for Germany.

“I thought about it briefly and I have the feeling that we need to wake up a bit,” Nagelsmann said at the team's training camp for the upcoming European Championship. “There are people in Europe who’ve had to flee because of war, economic factors, environmental disasters, people who simply want to be taken in. We have to ask what are we doing at the moment? We in Germany are doing very, very well, and when we say something like that, I think it’s crazy how we turn a blind eye and simply block out such things.”

Nagelsmann said Kimmich was correct when he said a soccer team can be a role model for how different cultures, religious backgrounds and skin colors can join in a group to work together for major goals.

“I always find it bizarre that we all go on vacation to get to know other cultures and then other cultures come here and we complain about it. It’s bizarre,” Nagelsmann said. “So, I can’t go on vacation then, I always have to stay where I am.”

Nagelsmann agreed with Kimmich that he does not want to do without any of the players he nominated in his squad, which includes Black players.

“It’s good as it is,” Nagelsmann said. “We’re playing a European Championship for everyone in the country. And anyone who can play top football is invited to be a national player and give their all for their country. And that’s what we’re doing. And I hope I never have to read about such a (expletive) survey again.”

Germany plays Ukraine on Monday in its first warmup game for Euro 2024. It plays Greece for its next friendly on Friday in Mönchengladbach.

The host nation gets the tournament underway June 14 against Scotland in Munich. It then plays Hungary in Stuttgart on June 19 and Switzerland in Frankfurt on June 23.