Despite the noise back home regarding his starting line-ups and communication style, the 38-year-old – who took charge of Germany in September 2023, leading them through Euro 2024 on home soil before a quarter-final exit against Spain – insists he is not feeling a personal burden to prove his doubters wrong. When asked how the current pressure affects him personally, Nagelsmann remained composed, stating: “What that does to me personally? It’s like with any human being. You can answer that for yourself. And then I think everything has been said.”
The former Bayern Munich boss was quick to shift the focus away from his own reputation and back to the collective goals of a squad desperate to overcome the bitter disappointments of recent World Cups, where Germany suffered back-to-back group-stage exits in 2018 and 2022.
“It’s not about me,” he added. “It’s only about the team and our success. That we collectively take the very good togetherness onto the pitch and do everything we can to be successful.”
Nagelsmann maintained that he feels no “obligation to prove” himself to the nation, but rather only to his players, who he believes are still on the right track despite the recent setback.
