The weather was favorable for the German national football team as they arrived in Luxembourg. The sun, which was around 15 degrees on a Thursday afternoon in November, brightened the national coach’s face again. Julian Nagelsmann has had to deal with a lot of bad news in recent days, and warmth helps. Apart from the long-term absences of Marc-André ter Stegen, Kai Havertz, Antonio Rüdiger and Jamal Musiala, who will not return until the World Cup year, Nagelsmann is currently missing another player.
Before the final matches of the World Cup qualifiers this Friday (20.45 on the FAZ live ticker for the World Cup qualifiers and on RTL) in Luxembourg and on Monday (20.45 on the FAZ live ticker for the World Cup qualifiers and on RTL) in Leipzig against Slovakia, the next players are not available. Nadiem Amiri hasn’t even arrived yet, Nico Schlotterbeck isn’t fit enough to play. On Thursday, the German Football Association (DFB) announced that the captain would not leave the ship, but would not be on the pitch in Luxembourg.
And Jonathan Tah will represent Kimmich as captain. “I don’t know if he knows it yet – he knows it now. I hope he’s not nervous now,” the national coach said with a smile. The captain has actually been a bit touched since the news of Kimmich’s disappearance became public. Nagelsmann looked at the names of his team board and no longer had a choice: “Jona is left.” Kimmich’s first deputies, Rüdiger and Havertz, are injured, as are goalkeepers ter Stegen and Niclas Füllkrug; Pascal Groß was not nominated.
Other national coaches choose based on the number of international matches. Therefore, Leroy Sané will be the first replacement. There is no one available who has played more than 70 games for Germany. But Nagelsmann doesn’t want to know anything about it: “I know the rules of most international matches, but I don’t organize them.” Moreover, there is no certainty whether Sané, who was not included in the national team in September and October, will be in the starting line-up. On Monday, when the national coach was asked why he invited Sané back, he explained it.
In September, Nagelsmann demanded that Sané do more than ever after moving to Türkiye. He “has not fulfilled this task 100 percent.” Now his nomination is “also because of his profile”. Not many outside players are good at dribbling the ball. “Leroy will no longer get countless chances, at least under my leadership. He is a player who can do everything, but also has to do everything. His performance has improved, but he still has a way to go.” Those were very clear public words for a player.
On Thursday, Nagelsmann defended his actions. He had previously discussed his statement with Sané. “I’m not doing it for fun. We want to send a signal that candidacy is not a free pass,” he said. “I know what he can do. But he also has to prove it to others.” Nagelsmann distanced himself from the “last chance,” as it is called in some quarters. He didn’t actually say it like that. He doesn’t believe the former Bayern man can be put off by Nagelsmann’s criticism: “Leroy is a very cool sock.”
