Germany coach Julian Nagelsmann says his squad for Euro 2024 is balanced, with veteran Thomas Müller praising “man of steel” Toni Kroos, while the team's “rapper” and a yodeling singer.
Coach Nagelsmann named 27 players for the home tournament, but after a friendly against Ukraine in Nuremberg on June 3rd and a match against Greece four days later in Mönchengladbach, the squad was reduced to 26 players. It is expected to be reduced to a name.
At a presentation held in downtown Berlin, just steps from the famous Brandenberg Gate, Nagelsmann said the 34-year-old Müller, who he coached at club level during his time as Bayern Munich manager, brought the group together. He said he gave it to me.
“Thomas is a connector and can bring groups together. He can bring rappers and yodels together.”
After the coach told Muller he was included, the veteran “sent me a funny message, which showed how much we need him.”
“I'm really looking forward to the euro in my home country,” Moller responded on social media.
“I'm ready to step on the gas…I'm in the starting blocks.”
Nagelsmann said Kroos “may not be 20 years old anymore” but praised the Real Madrid midfielder's physique, saying: “When you hug Toni Kroos, you feel like he's made of steel.” did.
Kroos, 34, and Muller, as well as goalkeeper Manuel Neuer, remain from the squad that won Germany's 2014 World Cup in Brazil, but Nagelsmann also left fellow world champion Mats Hummels out of the squad. .
Hummels and midfielder Julian Brandt were key figures in Dortmund's progress to the Champions League final, where they will face Real Madrid at Wembley in June, but Nagelsmann was a key figure in helping Dortmund reach the Champions League final, where they will face Real Madrid at Wembley in June. I wanted to stay in.
Bayern Munich's Leon Goretzka was also left out of the hosts' 27-man squad, while club teammate Serge Gnabry was not considered due to injury.
“We can win the tournament.”
They were eliminated in the group stage in the past two World Cups and were eliminated in the last 16 of Euro 2021. Germany, three-time Euro champions, did not perform well in 2023, winning only three of 11 games, and then-coach Hansi Flick lost his job.
After losing to Turkey and Austria until the end of 2023, coach Nagelsmann made major changes to the squad for the friendly match in March, calling up players from Bundesliga champions Bayer Leverkusen and strong-forming Stuttgart. has been significantly changed.
As a result, Germany achieved a good result, defeating France and the Netherlands, the countries that will advance to the 2022 World Cup finals.
“We made very few changes to the group because it worked,” Nagelsmann said Thursday.
“I feel like I can win in tournaments. And most of the time, my instincts aren't that bad.”
Nagelsmann replaced Heidenheim's Jan-Niklas Beste and injured Fulham goalkeeper Bernd Leno with Dortmund defender Nico Schlotterbeck and Stuttgart goalkeeper Alex Nuebel.
Bayern's Leroy Sane, who missed the friendly in March due to injury, also joined the team.
Despite Neuer's return, Barcelona midfielder Ilkay Gundogan will remain captain, something Nagelsmann had already confirmed before the announcement.
The Euros begin on June 14th, with Germany and Scotland facing off in Munich.
Germany will be in a pre-Euro training camp from May 26th to June 1st in the central village of Blankenhain, England's home base.
Four members of the team, Dortmund's Schlotterbeck and Niklas Verkulk, and Real Madrid's Antonio Rudiger and Kroos, will play in the Champions League final at Wembley on June 1, but will not play.
Coach Nagelsmann confirmed that the four players will join the squad two days after the Champions League final.
Germany representative
goalkeeper: Oliver Baumann (Hoffenheim), Alex Nuebel (Stuttgart), Manuel Neuer (Bayern Munich), Marc-Andre ter Stegen (Barcelona/ESP)
defender: Valdemar Anton (Stuttgart), Benjamin Henrichs (RB Leipzig), Joshua Kimmich (Bayern Munich), Robin Koch (Eintracht Frankfurt), Maximilian Mittelstedt (Stuttgart), David Raum. (RB Leipzig), Antonio Rudiger (Real Madrid/ESP), Nico Schlotterbeck (Borussia Dortmund), Jonathan Tarr (Bayer Leverkusen)
midfielder: Robert Andrich (Bayer Leverkusen), Chris Fürich (Stuttgart), Pascal Gross (Brighton & Hove Albion/ENG), Ilkay Gundogan (Barcelona/ESP), Toni Kroos (Real Madrid/ESP) ), Jamal Musiala (Bayern Munich), Aleksander Pavlovic (Bayern Munich), Leroy Sane (Bayern Munich), Florian Wirtz (Bayern Leverkusen)
forward: Maximilian Baier (Hoffenheim), Niklas Verkrug (Borussia Dortmund), Kai Havertz (Arsenal/England), Thomas Muller (Bayern Munich), Deniz Unduff (Stuttgart)
dwi/lp
© Agence France-Presse
