Germany coach Julian Nagelsmann warned of Ecuador’s strengths, praised Ivory Coast, and also had kind words for the underdogs from Curaçao, but big concern after the 2026 World Cup draw was title favourites France.
The three opponents in Group E were only the stepping stone and those who looked further ahead into the schedule saw a potential match-up with France in the last 16.
“Unfortunately, in a tournament like this, at some point you’re going to face top teams on your way to success,” Nagelsmann said.
He stressed that the French side are certainly not happy about playing Germany early in the tournament either. Coach Didier Deschamps “isn’t exactly clapping his hands when he plays against us,” Nagelsmann said.
Nagelsmann loves such difficult prospects, but experience has taught him not to give too much space to speculation.
“It’s important for us to take the first step before the second. We haven’t approached the last World Cups in such a way that we can always make firm plans,” he said.
Therefore, first Curaçao (June 14), then Ivory Coast (June 20), and then Ecuador (June 25). Germany will find out exactly where and at what time later on Saturday when FIFA announces the schedule.
German Football Federation (DFB) president Bernd Neuendorf also warned about looking at the tournament from the wrong perspective.
“We saw this at the last two World Cups, during the group draws, when may said ‘feasible, easy group.’ We will certainly not make that mistake,” he said.
Neuendorf was referring to the catastrophic performances at the 2018 and 2022 World Cups: in both, Germany failed to reach the knock-out stages.
“I think we would do well to simply play well in every game, maintain stability in every game, and enter the tournament in such a way that we can perhaps improve a little bit with each match. Then we won’t really need to fear any opponent,” he said.
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