Some WM question marks detected
Schweinsteiger doubts the national team
10/03/2022 10:06 am
Bastian Schweinsteiger is a hero of the 2014 World Cup victory. The world champion has so far doubted that his successors will win the title again. The DFB-Elf still have some tasks to do, but he has already picked out a possible hero.
A good seven weeks before the first German World Cup game in Qatar, Bastian Schweinsteiger still has doubts about the tournament form of the national team. “It’s currently a question mark. You don’t know exactly whether it will end well or not. We’ve all seen how the last few games went, so you can’t give any guarantees,” said the 2014 world champion at one Sponsor event in Berlin.
Basically, Schweinsteiger thinks it’s good to travel to Qatar with high ambitions. “But I do think that Hansi Flick will manage to put a team on the pitch that is motivated to win the title. The goals are big and I think that’s right. We are a great footballing nation. Many opponents don’t like playing against the national team,” said the former Bayern professional.
“Putting Core Values in Place”
Bayern teenager Jamal Musiala could be the German trump card. “He’s playing at an incredible level. If he stays healthy, he’ll be the player of the tournament,” Schweinsteiger said of the 19-year-old. On the other hand, he doesn’t see it as imperative that Mats Hummels is still needed on the defensive despite his great experience. “I don’t know if he’s at the level to play a World Cup against really big opponents.” You have two good defenders in Antonio Rüdiger and Nico Schlotterbeck.
For the tournament with group opponents Japan (November 23), Spain (November 27) and Costa Rica (December 1), the 38-year-old calls for the special German football virtues. “The decisive factor will be whether or not we bring these core values to the field, for which we are very much envied abroad. I think we have great footballers, we all know that, but in big games it’s different , I’m curious to see if the national team can bring that to the pitch,” said Schweinsteiger.
Schweinsteiger still sees room for improvement in playing out and converting scoring chances, but also in defensive switching. “In the last few games, this final thought was missing. You combine well, but you don’t get to the end. Bringing in the accuracy, certain processes on the offensive, that’s still missing. The most important thing: If you want to play offensive football, that you then you’re good against the ball, that you’re well organized. Those are points where we still have to improve,” he said.