Germany coach Nagelsmann wants to avoid the 'hysteria'

"I don't want to get caught up in this hysteria," said Nagelsmann during a press conference ahead of Germany's friendly match against the Netherlands on Tuesday. "In football, you always have to back up a performance. A one-hit wonder, that can be nice, but we have to continue on our path," he added when discussing his side's dominant victory against 2018 World Champions France in Lyon last Saturday.

Germany's 2-0 win was kick-started by a goal from 20-year-old starlet Florian Wirtz just seven seconds after kick-off - one of the fastest goals ever recorded in international football. The result, as well as the nature of the performance in France, has got German fans excited again as the Euro 2024 hosts complete their final preparations before the tournament gets underway this summer.

After a catastrophic six defeats and two draws in 11 matches in 2023, the worst year for the German national team since 1964, expectations for the home team's chances in the European Championship were low. Nagelsmann has overseen five matches since his appointment last September, including damaging defeats to Turkey at home and away to Austria.

The 36-year-old may not wish to get swept away by the sudden surge in optimism after victory in France, but he "(is) also not someone who is going to curb euphoria". "The team must be able keep things in perspective. We played a great game. We know it's a first step, now we need to take another. We can't just let everything fall apart tomorrow," he said.

"The advantage with such euphoria is that we now feel a little more support from the population. From this point of view, yes, we can rely on it. To say that everything is magnificent, no. We just have to continue like this. "I don't see any particular reason, when we have won such a match, not to win the next one and not to continue on this good path."

Nagelsmann's charges take on old rivals the Netherlands in Frankfurt on Tuesday, before playing two final preparation friendlies against Ukraine and Greece at the start of June. Hosts Germany open Euro 2024 against Scotland in Munich on June 14.

 

March 24, 2024