“We Want To Keep Building Our Identity”, Says Nagelsmann

Germany take on Portugal in Munich on Wednesday night (21:00 CEST) for a place in the UEFA Nations League final. Head coach Julian Nagelsmann and sporting director Rudi Völler spoke about the upcoming semi-final and the team’s preparations.

Julian Nagelsmann on…
…the team: I’ve congratulated the players on everything they’ve achieved recently – it’s a way of reminding everyone how strong and competitive this group is. Of course, we want to win both matches. Even though we’re missing a few players, the squad we have here is still excellent. We want to be in a position to win trophies – even if it’s a smaller one. We’re looking to keep building our identity through strong performances. We’re excited about the Final Four and the buzz around it here in Germany.

…his choice of goalkeeper: Marc-André ter Stegen will be our number one. I’ve spoken with Hansi Flick and with Marc – he’s looked very sharp in training. I’m confident he’ll have two great games.

…Nick Woltemade: I’ll take a close look at him in training. He’ll definitely get a chance – otherwise he wouldn’t be here. It wasn’t an easy decision to bring him in, especially as the U21s have an important tournament. But with Tim Kleindienst and Kai Havertz both out, we felt his qualities would really benefit us.

…the team’s identity: The Spain match was obviously important, and losing it was frustrating. But overall, we’re on the right track. The return fixture against Italy was really impressive – it showed what we’re capable of. The team are learning quickly. We’ve already developed a strong sense of identity, but that needs to be nurtured, and the only way to do that is by consistently beating top sides.

…Florian Wirtz’s possible transfer: I always give my honest opinion as a coach, without any club bias. Ultimately, it’s up to the player. I’ll tell him what I think is important – mainly that he’s playing regularly and ideally in a role similar to what he has at Leverkusen. Developing leadership qualities will be key too.

…the squad’s physical condition: It’s not straightforward. Some players have just come off the back of cup finals after a long Bundesliga campaign with Champions League football too. Others have already had a couple of weeks off. But that’s the case for other teams too. The players know what it means to play for Germany and they’ll give everything.

…Antonio Rüdiger: We’ve talked a lot about the incident, and I told him I thought it was wrong. He knows it can’t happen again, otherwise there’ll be bigger consequences. But people need the chance to make mistakes. If someone apologises, at some point you have to move on. He now has the opportunity to show he’s learned from it.

…Joshua Kimmich: He’s had some tough moments with the national team, and of course that gets to him. But I absolutely believe he can still win a major trophy. He’s doing a brilliant job as captain – a real role model on the pitch. And off the pitch, he does so much that people don’t see. His character and leadership are hugely important for the whole group.

…the fans at training: It means the world to see so many people coming to watch us train. It gives us a real lift, but it also reminds us that we have a responsibility to give something back, especially in Wednesday’s game.

Rudi Völler on…
…Nick Woltemade: He’s come on leaps and bounds over the past six months. In the cup final, we saw just how technically gifted he is. He’s strong, smart, elegant on the ball – and he’s shown he can score goals too. He’s still young and has plenty of room to grow. He could be a bit better in the air, but if he works on that, he’s got a big future ahead.

…the training camp: The players feel really settled here. The team spirit couldn’t be better. After a long season, it’s not easy to recharge the batteries, but I’m confident this team will turn up when it matters.

…Joshua Kimmich: He’s doing an outstanding job as captain. He’s still got time to win big trophies. Lothar Matthäus and I didn’t win our first major titles until we were 30, so he’s got plenty of time.

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