DFB-Elf makes you want much more
With a brilliant bang for the European Championship dream start
By David Bedürftig & Sebastian Schneider
14.06.2024, 23:11
It couldn’t be a more dream start. With one game, the DFB team reconciled itself with the fans after many difficult years. That’s how quickly things sometimes happen in football. Julian Nagelsmann’s team started the European Championship at home without nervousness, but with determination, wit and dominance.
The opening match of a tournament is always important because it sets the tone. It has never been as important as this year: it is not just the pressure of the home European Championship that is weighing on the DFB team. After years of misery, after the disastrous performances at previous tournaments – especially in 2018 and 2022 with the double elimination in the preliminary round – the expectations are huge. Especially because Germany is the host.
Nagelsmann’s team must deliver. Not just a win, but an impressive game. And that’s what they do. The door behind which all the frustration, skepticism and malice of the past few years have been lurking is slammed shut with a loud bang. Bang. The huge bang creates enthusiasm instead of doubt, which could now spread from the Allianz Arena to all parts of Germany. For the euphoria that should carry through the rest of the tournament. For the self-confidence in the minds of the DFB players, which will be necessary for the far bigger games to come than the Scotland game. For the summer fairytale 2.0?
Happy singing is becoming increasingly rare
For Philipp Lahm, it only took six minutes in the World Cup opening match against Costa Rica. The Nagelsmann team took a little more time. But they were not intimidated by the many loud Scots who had travelled with them, nor were they unsettled by the huge pressure that weighed on them in this opening match. They got off to a rapid start and needed until the 10th minute to open the scoring: Toni Kroos slipped, but his cross still landed with Kimmich.
The ball comes to Florian Wirtz in the middle. Goal. After that, there is only one direction: towards the Scottish goal. The Scotts, who have travelled to the game and turned Munich’s city centre into a big party, have to watch as their team defends bravely but doesn’t manage a single shot on goal. The cheerful, loud singing becomes less and less frequent, quieter and quieter. In the end, they stand in the block with their arms folded, and sometimes a lonely bagpipe can be heard. They experience the most bitter evening. Some have already left when the consolation goal is scored.
DFB-Elf is fun again
And the German team? They are playing themselves into a frenzy. The atmosphere in the stadium is nothing like the previous test matches. There is cheering, clapping, shouting “Germany, Germany”. What happens in the stands is transferred to the pitch. 20th minute: goal, Jamal Musiala. Of all people, one has to say: what would have happened 18 months ago if he had converted his scoring opportunities better in Qatar? Today it doesn’t matter, now he’s making them. Of course, the Scots had their best moves in the stands, not on the pitch. How significant is this 5:1 for the German team? That is unclear. But: the veil is lifting over the DFB team. Before this tournament, nobody knew how good this DFB team actually is. How significant were the test matches? Is Nagelsmann’s bet on his role system working?
It turns out that the plan is working. The national coach has rightly stuck with his personnel and set up his team perfectly. Toni Kroos is directing the game, İlkay Gündoğan is finally finding his role and is convincing as captain, Musiala and Wirtz are doing their magic, and substitute Niclas Füllkrug is showing the quality that comes off the bench. Even the late nominee Emre Can scores. When Thomas Müller is substituted, he is greeted with loud chants. The DFB team is fun again. The fans are beaming, reconciled, euphoric and looking forward to more. “Oh, how beautiful it is,” they sing.