Germany manager Julian Nagelsmann has provided insight into his squad’s departure from the World Cup following their defeat on Monday. During his post-match discussion, Nagelsmann attributed the loss to a lack of tempo in Germany’s build-up play throughout the match against Paraguay.
He noted that his side failed to exert enough pressure to force Paraguay into a defensive scramble and did not cross the ball into the penalty area frequently enough. The encounter ended in a 1-1 draw, leading to a penalty shoot-out that Paraguay ultimately won 4-3 to advance from the Round of 32.
The shoot-out proved costly for Germany, as spot kicks from Kai Havertz, Nick Woltemade, and Jonathan Tah were unsuccessful. Nagelsmann expressed clear disappointment regarding the result, noting that while some opponents succeed using basic tactics, his team failed to defend against those simple strategies with enough consistency.
He emphasized that the game should have been decided during regulation time rather than extending to penalties, reiterating that his team’s sluggish approach prevented them from controlling the flow of the match effectively.
