Julian Nagelsmann reviewed Germany’s 2-0 win over Luxembourg and made it clear that the performance wasn’t good enough for a team that will fight for a direct World Cup spot in the next round. The coach was straightforward when he said “we have to play better,” a line that sums up his frustration with the level shown and hints at what he expects from the squad in the match against Slovakia in Leipzig.
Germany leads Group A on goal difference, is tied with Slovakia on points and needs only a draw, but what Luxembourg did on the field set off internal alarms.
A tougher match than expected and Nagelsmann’s honesty
Luxembourg arrived with four straight losses in the European qualifiers but still managed to limit Germany’s attacking plays in the first half. The balance of the game surprised many and led Nagelsmann to admit that “I think we deserved to concede a goal” and that the team could consider itself “lucky” for the win. His words reinforce his discomfort with a match in which Germany struggled to impose itself.
Both teams sit at 12 points in Group A, but Germany holds the lead on goal difference. That means a draw against Slovakia is enough to secure the direct World Cup spot. Even so, the match against Luxembourg exposed areas that need immediate adjustment to avoid unnecessary risks in the final round.
A win that adds points but doesn’t erase concerns before the decider
Germany’s goals came in the second half, scored by forward Nick Woltemade in two plays that involved Leroy Sané. Before the game, Nagelsmann had said Sané needed to show more to secure his place, and he approved what he saw. On the other hand, concerns about the team’s collective performance remain. If Germany loses to Slovakia, it will have to go through the European playoff, a rare situation in the team’s history that only happened during the qualifiers for the 2002 World Cup.