Germany has won its UEFA Nations League group thanks to a 7-0 win over Bosnia and Herzegovina in front of a sell-out crowd at the Europa-Park Stadion in Freiburg.
Die Nationalmannschaft was dominant throughout winning the game thanks to goals by Jamal Musiala (4’), Tim Kleindienst (23’ & 78’), Kai Havertz (37’), Florian Wirtz (50’ & 57’) and Leroy Sané (66’).
“We played with a lot of desire both offensively and defensively,” Nagelsmann said after the game. “It was almost perfect. Even after the substitutions, there was no drop in the performance. That was a perfect game. The counter-pressing was the most impressive thing today. That was exceptionally good.”
It was indeed a perfect performance, capping off an impressive year under head coach Nagelsmann. The 37-year-old took over the national team program in September 2023, when Germany seemed to be at a historic low point.
The US trip in Oct. 2023 with wins over a poor United States (3-1) and a draw to Mexico (2-2) provided a false sense of a quick turnaround that was smashed when Germany lost to Türkiye (2-3) and Austria (2-0). Those two results led to Nagelsmann simplifying his tactics and cutting several high-profile players.
Over time, Nagelsmann has built the spine of the national team around Wirtz and Musiala. That progression was aided by Toni Kroos’s initial return and continued after Kroos, Thomas Müller, Ilkay Gündogan, and Manuel Neuer retired after the Euros. Without a doubt, Die Nationalmannschaft is now their team.
The two were also the architects of Germany’s 7-0 victory over Bosnia on Saturday. “That was fun,” Musiala said. “We did what we wanted to do, scored many goals but still worked hard defensively, which made it easy for us.”
They certainly made it look easy. Not for the first time, either. Since those two defeats in October, Germany has lost just once: the quarterfinal against Spain at the European Championships. Under Nagelsmann, Germany has now averaged 2.06 points per game in 18 games—tying Jürgen Klinsmann for the fourth-best record in history among all head coaches in charge of the national team.
It isn’t just the record but how it has been achieved, especially in 2024. The national team is once again an enjoyable experience. While Bosnia is not a top nation, a game like this on a cold November night would have been a snooze fest under previous managers. This wasn’t the case on Saturday. Germany circulated the ball well and, from the first minute onwards, played pleasing-to-the-eye soccer.
One of the hallmarks of the Nagelsmann era has been the attempt to play good soccer. This has resonated with the German public, which has once again returned to sell-out arenas to watch the team. Indeed, winning the hearts and minds of the German public was one of the aspects Nagelsmann was quite vocal about when he started his tenure with Germany.
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