Völler: I don't want Germany to play like Argentina, that's not football

Rudi Völler, the sporting director of the German national team, has sharply criticized the playing style of the Argentine national team.

Völler believes the German squad, known as the "Mannschaft," should not emulate the "Gauchos," despite Argentina reaching the 2026 World Cup final, where they lost 1-0 to Spain after extra time. In contrast, Germany exited the tournament in the round of 16, defeated by Paraguay in a penalty shootout.

"Germany needs to play better defensively. Many hold the Argentinians up as an example. But I think that's a poor example. Suddenly, Argentina has become the benchmark. This is a somewhat hypocritical discussion," Völler stated.

"I don't need a team that plays like Argentina. That has nothing to do with football," he asserted.

"Yes, they were the reigning world champions and also reached the final in the last tournament. But I don't understand why so many people praise this team," added Germany's sporting director.