Julian Nagelsmann reveals what he told Germany players in dressing room after EURO 2024 exit to Spain
Germany boss Julain Nagelsmann revealed what he told his players following their EURO 2024 exit on Friday, July 5. Germany crashed out of the competition after a 2-1 defeat against Spain in the quarterfinals.
Speaking to the media after the extra-time defeat, Nagelsmann first congratulated his opponents before claiming Germany were the better side. He said (via Metro):
"Congratulations to Spain for reaching the semi-finals. The game was too open in the first half. We were better in the second half and from the 60th minute onwards, we were clearly the better team. Our late [equaliser] was well-deserved. We conceded the winner with the last chance. Unfortunately we weren’t able to apply enough pressure on the wing."
When asked what he told the players after heading back into the dressing room, he revealed:
"I told them that they don’t deserve [to exit the competition]. We’re all missing our families, but none of us wanted to leave. From the beginning of these last six weeks there’s been a very good atmosphere in the group. You could tell we gave everything to win this game. Every player, whether they started or were on the bench, gave everything they had to win the game. It’s a painful one."
Germany entered the EURO 2024 quarterfinal against Spain unbeaten but failed to maintain their record. Mikel Merino scored in the 119th minute to seal a 2-1 win for Spain after Florian Wirtz's 89th-minute equalizer following Dani Olmo's opener had sent the game into extra time.
Julian Nagelsmann on Germany legend Toni Kroos retiring after EURO 2024 exit
Toni Kroos managed to end his club career by winning the UEFA Champions League with Real Madrid. However, he could not manage a winning end with the national team.
Nagelsmann spoke about the Germany legend and said:
"It’s impossible to over-appreciate Toni’s career. It’s probably unique for a German player. He’s certainly one of Germany’s biggest players. Everyone knows about his success but not everyone knows about his character. He spoke to the team in a very difficult moment for him personally. He always sees himself as part of this group."
After knocking Germany out of the EURO 2024, Spain will now face France in the semifinal. The French defeated Portugal in a penalty shootout after a goalless 120 minutes of their quarterfinal.