In the quarterfinals of the Euros, hosts Germany suffered a 2-1 extra-time defeat to Spain, ending their campaign. At the post-match press conference, Nagelsmann stated that the team’s next target is to compete for the UEFA Nations League title.
Nagelsmann commented, “I’m holding back tears because it’s very emotional. I’ve always said we need the support of fans at home. From March, it was clear that the fans felt something. We made decisions not everyone would have made, and people sensed we wanted to change things. Seeing the fans’ videos was touching. We would have liked to give them more.”
“The Nations League is a tournament we can win, and we should approach it differently than any friendly. We have important World Cup qualifiers in 2025, followed by the World Cup in 2026. We have big ambitions there. We want to use this competition to further develop ourselves.”
“In terms of ability, it’s hard to find a direct replacement for Kroos. Pavlovic or Angelo Stiller could stylistically fill in, as well as Gross, who is already 33. From our perspective, we’ll successfully find a solution.”
“I’ll miss the people who’ve worked with us in recent weeks, the emotional moments. We had all the highs and lows, positive and negative. From sadness and emptiness to joy in the 89th minute, it was all there. I’ll miss the entire staff and team.”
“It’s bitter that we now have to wait two years to try again in a major tournament. But overall, the job is very fulfilling. I’m glad I extended my stay here.”
Regarding Koundé’s handball not resulting in a penalty, Nagelsmann added, “Some players asked the referee, I don’t know if there was offside. I have different information about why VAR didn’t review it – the situation isn’t entirely clear. I hope referees can review certain situations more carefully to protect themselves from controversy and criticism. I’ve said what I wanted to change yesterday. Anyway, we won’t get a replay, so we move forward.”
