Germany have been knocked out of the World Cup in the round of 32 after a dramatic penalty shootout defeat to Paraguay. Following the loss, head coach Julian Nagelsmann faced questions about his future with the national team.
“I want to continue,” Nagelsmann told Magenta TV. However, he made it clear that the decision was not solely his to make. “If the DFB want me to stay, I’d be delighted to prepare for the European Championship and the Nations League. If they don’t, then they should let me know.”
The early exit came as a major shock to both players and fans. “The disappointment is enormous. We had a very united team that gave everything,” Nagelsmann admitted. When asked what he was thinking while sitting on the bench after the defeat was confirmed, he replied, “Not much, really. When you go out of a tournament, it’s always a defining experience.”
Reflecting on why Germany failed to win the match in regular or extra time, Nagelsmann said, “We controlled the game, but we somehow lacked the killer instinct.” He added that Germany struggled to break down Paraguay’s defensive approach. “We should have moved the ball faster at times.”
Nagelsmann insisted that attitude was not the issue: “The lads really wanted to win.”
He also expressed his frustration over Jonathan Tah’s disallowed goal in stoppage time. “For me, it was a perfectly good goal. It’s a joke that he blew for that. I don’t know what he saw there,” the coach said.
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