Nagelsmann reflects on Germany’s painful exit

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By Martin Graham | 6th Jul 2024

Following a heartbreaking 2-1 defeat to Spain in extra-time, Germany head coach Julian Nagelsmann shared his thoughts on both the loss and the overall tournament. Speaking to ARD, Nagelsmann expressed his disappointment, saying, “It hurts because we won’t be able to do better for another two years. And I probably won’t have another home tournament in my career. If we had performed badly, it would have been deserved and then we wouldn’t have to stand here and fight back tears. I don’t even know what the plan is now because I didn’t plan on being eliminated. My team and I have the job of thinking about the squad now and what is the right thing to do in the Nations League in September.”

Nagelsmann also shared what he told the players post-match: “I told the players that they don’t deserve this. We’re all missing our families, but none of us wanted to leave. From the beginning of these last six weeks, there’s been a very good atmosphere in the group. You could tell we gave everything to win this game. Every player, whether they started or were on the bench, gave everything they had to win the game. It’s a painful one.”

Quarter-final heartbreak for Germany

Germany’s journey in EURO 2024 came to an end at the quarter-final stage after a dramatic extra-time loss to Spain. RB Leipzig’s Dani Olmo gave Spain the lead in the second half, but Germany found hope with a late equaliser from Florian Wirtz, pushing the match into extra-time.

Throughout the game, Germany struggled with their finishing, a recurring issue that persisted into extra-time. Despite having the momentum, they failed to capitalize on their chances. The decisive moment came when Mikel Merino headed in an Olmo cross, securing Spain’s place in the semi-finals and ending Germany’s campaign.

This defeat also marks the conclusion of Toni Kroos’ career, with uncertainties surrounding the futures of Thomas Müller, Manuel Neuer, and Ilkay Gündogan. The loss is a significant moment for the team, and Nagelsmann’s next challenge will be preparing for the Nations League in September.