When Julian Nagelsmann brought on Florian Wirtz, Jamal Musiala and Kai Havertz after an hour, it was clear the 37-year-old wanted to finish 2024 with a win against Hungary.
Despite leading thanks to a first international goal for Felix Nmecha, Germany missed out on their 11th win of the year after a last-minute penalty denied them. The 1-1 draw doesn't take away from the fact Nagelsmann's Germany have won more games this year than in the last two together (10 wins in 2024, three wins in 2023 and four in 2022).
After the last home game of the year against Bosnia and Herzegovina ended in a victory that secured top spot in the group, Nagelsmann took the chance to rotate his team. But other than goalkeeper Alexander Nübel, who made a string of good saves, Germany looked short of ideas. Unlike in the last few months, Nagelsmann's team couldn't find the final pass.
Nagelsmann initiates turnaround
A real soccer nerd, Nagelsmann started out highly motivated and with many ideas of his own when he took over from Hansi Flick in September 2023.
But he didn't start well. One win, one draw and two painful defeats against Turkey and Austria, left Nagelsmann still searching for a winning formula early on. Tactical and player decisions, such as trying out Kai Havertz at left-back against Turkey, were unsuccessful and caused discontent among the team. The mood had hit rock bottom and Germany headed off into the end of the year with loud whistles after the defeat against Austria in November last year.
But the turning point came in March 2024. When announcing the squad ahead of the first matches in March, Nagelsmann surprised everyone by naming six newcomers to the squad. Bayern's young star Aleksandar Pavlovic, Maximilian Beier from Hoffenheim, Deniz Undav, Maximilian Mittelstädt, Waldemar Anton from Stuttgart and Heidenheim's Jan-Niklas Beste were new to the squad.
Established stars such as Dortmund's Mats Hummels, Nico Schlotterbeck, Julian Brandt, Niklas Süle and Karim Adeyemi had to stay at home, as did Bayern's Leon Goretzka.
The drastic change of course brought a breath of fresh air to the team and ushered in a change of mood.
"It was clear that the biggest screw was to change the squad so that we didn't nominate the best players, but those who fit together, who we feel define themselves by their role and can handle it well," explained Nagelsmann.
The return of Kroos
Nagelsmann sometimes sacrifices quality in favor of good team chemistry. He has also simplified and adapted his playing philosophy to fit the situation. The 37-year-old regularly emphasizes that there is very little time until the 2026 World Cup to try out and practice new things.
Shortly before the home European Championships in the summer, Nagelsmann brought world champion Toni Kroos, who had announced his international retirement in 2021, back into the team. Kroos played a key role in helping Germany deliver strong performances at the Euros, which helped get the fans behind the team again.
As Germany impressed both on and off the pitch, the Euros became a newer version of the summer fairytale of 2006. The team was approachable and accessible again, and there was no trace of the arrogance of the years following the 2014 World Cup title.
Even the early and unlucky exit in the quarterfinals against eventual champions Spain did nothing to change the positive mood in the country and among the national players. "We're all enjoying it,” said captain Joshua Kimmich after the 7-0 thumping of Bosnia and Herzegovina. "You could tell that clear structures and roles have been created. Everyone has taken on these roles, accepted them and filled them with life."
Nagelsmann also agreed: "The nation is looking forward to the national team's matches again. We have to preserve this joy and always approach games with the idea of winning and playing attractive football."
Winning mentality is back
Nagelsmann has brought about an impressive change in mentality and mood within twelve months. Just nine goals were conceded in the 15 games played in 2024, while 35 goals were scored thanks to the dream duo of Florian Wirtz and Jamal Musiala, whose creativity, pace and technical finesse pose problems for any defense.
"In general, I want us to get on the bus and drive to the game and for everyone to have the belief: 'Of course we're going to win today, we're Germany, we're a football nation, we're going to win'," explained Nagelsmann recently in an interview with local broadcaster Bayerischer Rundfunk.
Not only is the team playing better than a year ago, Nagelsmann has also proven that he can work on himself, change and adapt to a situation if necessary. His playing style and ego are secondary to the success of the team, and he wants to keep the development going.
Similar to role model Spain, who first won the Nations League in 2023 and became European champions that year, Nagelsmann now wants to win his first title with Germany in order to create the perfect basis for success at the 2026 World Cup.
Edited by: Jonathan Harding