Julian Nagelsmann – Plan to Create a Compact, Cohesive Squad for EURO 2024

Head Coach of the German National Team Julian Nagelsmann is considering a bold idea of reducing the number of players in the squad for EURO 2024 on home ground, aiming to create a united team and minimize the number of disgruntled substitutes.

In a recent UEFA meeting about increasing the number of players in the EURO squad from 23 to 26, Coach Julian Nagelsmann expressed the opposite view. He believes that instead of increasing numbers, reducing the number of players to under 23 would make the German team more united.

“I think each coach can decide whether to bring fewer than 26 players to the EURO or not,” Julian Nagelsmann shared after the UEFA workshop in Dusseldorf on April 8. This will be the first time a team voluntarily gives up personnel benefits at a major tournament.

Julian Nagelsmann explained his view by building team spirit. “If in a group, 20 people work and 10 people sit idle, that’s fine. But if the ratio is reversed, 10 people work and 20 people idle, it’s hard to maintain a good atmosphere. Then, you have to spend time comforting the disgruntled,” says Nagelsmann.

According to 36-year-old coach Julian Nagelsmann, even at the club level, having a large squad does not bring success. “In the end, at all successful clubs, only 14-15 players play regularly, 5-6 people only have 5% of the playing time. We need to consider whether that is reasonable.”

Julian Nagelsmann is expected to announce the German squad for the EURO on May 23, right before the German Cup final. Nagelsmann is likely to call more than 23 players initially, as some people from Leverkusen or clubs in the Champions League final will join late, before submitting the final list to UEFA on June 7.

The decision to exclude Mats Hummels, Leon Goretzka from the March training session shows that Julian Nagelsmann is firm with his “quality over quantity” philosophy. The 2-0 win over France and 2-1 over the Netherlands proved Nagelsmann is on the right track. Now, promising young players like Aleksandar Pavlovic (Bayern Munich), Jan-Niklas Beste (Heidenheim) and Maximilian Beier (Hoffenheim) are hoping to have a chance if Nagelsmann increases the number.

Anyway, the proactive reduction of troops at a major tournament is still unprecedented. Julian Nagelsmann is bravely going against the trend, hoping to create a positive psychological effect for the German team. Whether this strategy of Julian Nagelsmann is successful, only time will tell.

Group A – Germany

Coach: Julian Nagelsmann

Euro (best result): 3 times champion (1972, 1980, 1996)

World Cup (best result): 4 times champion (1954, 1974, 1990, 2014)

FIFA Ranking: 16th (as of February 15, 2024)

Current Euro 2024 Germany squad: players and clubs (As of: March 28, 2024)

Goalkeepers

Oliver Baumann (TSG 1899 Hoffenheim)

Bernd Leno (Fulham FC)

Marc-André ter Stegen (FC Barcelona)

Defenders

Waldemar Anton (VfB Stuttgart)

Benjamin Henrichs (RB Leipzig)

Robin Koch (Eintracht Frankfurt)

Maximilian Mittelstädt (VfB Stuttgart)

David Raum (RB Leipzig)

Antonio Rudiger (Real Madrid)

Jonathan Tah (Bayer Leverkusen)

Midfielders

Robert Andrich (Bayer Leverkusen)

Pascal Gross (Brighton & Hove Albion)

Ilkay Gundogan (FC Barcelona)

Kai Havertz (Arsenal FC)

Joshua Kimmich (FC Bayern Munich)

Toni Kroos (Real Madrid)

Jamal Musiala (FC Bayern Munich)

Florian Wirtz (Bayer Leverkusen)

Forwards

Maximilian Beier (TSG 1899 Hoffenheim)

Chris Führich (VfB Stuttgart)

Niclas Füllkrug (Borussia Dortmund)

Thomas Muller (FC Bayern Munich)

Deniz Undav (VfB Stuttgart)

Topics: Julian Nagelsmann, German National Team, EURO 2024, Mats Hummels, Leon Goretzka, Aleksandar Pavlovic, Jan-Niklas Beste, Maximilian Beier