Germany Committed Tactical Suicide. Only a Title Will Silence Critics, Says Nagelsmann

Germany advanced from their group in first place, defeating Curaçao 7-1 and Ivory Coast 2-1. However, they lost their final group stage match 2-1 to Ecuador, which once again raised questions about their chances of success in the tournament.

Should the Germans eliminate Paraguay, they could face France in the round of 16. Despite this, Nagelsmann emphasized that his team is solely focused on the upcoming match. "When you talk about the German national team, it's always about trying to win every game. It's about winning tomorrow," he stated at Sunday's pre-match press conference.

According to him, the result is decisive in football. "In football, it's all about winning. If you win, everything is perfect. If you lose, everything is bad. That's why we have to win," he said. The German coach also recalled that his team learned from the loss to Ecuador, where, after an early lead, they committed what he called "tactical suicide."

Unlike several other coaches, Nagelsmann did not rest key players in the final group stage match, even though qualification was already secured. He insists, however, that the team is ready to deliver a maximum performance. "We need a perfect performance. After what I've seen in training, I can say I'm very satisfied, and the lads will show their best," he added.

Kai Havertz is expected to lead the attack once again. The Arsenal forward is looking forward to his first experience in the World Cup knockout stages, as Germany failed to advance from the group in the previous two tournaments. "Generally, I like big games. I don't know why, but I feel comfortable in them. I hope to maintain this streak on the biggest stage, which is the World Cup," Havertz commented.