There is a sense of renewed optimism around the host nation, who flopped in recent competitions but have revived since the turn of the year. Nagelsmann, who will manage at a major finals for the first time, senses nerves in his squad but believes they can be used to gather potentially decisive momentum.“I think we’re a bit nervous but it’s an important point, we have to have a certain nervousness,” he said. “There was such a buzz , a bit like in school.
“I look in our players’ eyes and see the belief and will to win. I want us to believe in ourselves: we have great players, good togetherness, home advantage, we’ve had great training sessions and a good mentality. We have everything: we just have to show it tomorrow, and that’s why belief is very important.”hotseat, Nagelsmann spoke of his own sense of mild trepidation. “On the bus earlier I messaged a guy close to me,” he explained.
Nagelsmann elaborated on the process behind persuading the 2014 World Cup winner Toni Kroos, who has been fundamental to their uptick since ending nearly three years’ international retirement in March, to help drive their tilt at glory. The 34-year-old midfielder will end his playing career after the tournament and has a chance to go out in a blaze of glory.Toni Kroos reportedly said he would be part of the Germany team only if he believed they could win Euro 2024.
Germany tumbled out of the last two World Cups in the group stage and were knocked out of Euro 2020 by England in the last 16, but the coach does not sense his players are encumbered by ghosts of past failures. “I don’t want to talk about the past,” he said. “Where we want to go is more important. We want to be more successful than the other teams, we’ll try to do our best. We want to be one of the best in this cup, and I’m sure we want to win this cup as well.
Nagelsmann reported a clean bill of health among his squad, which Emre Can has joined as a replacement for Aleksandar Pavlovic. The Bayern Munich youngster has tonsillitis and withdrew on Wednesday.