The winners and losers of the two DFB international matches

Two convincing substitute appearances: Aleksandar Pavlovic (right) is likely to become even more important for Julian Nagelsmann.
IMAGO/Kirchner Media

National coach Julian Nagelsmann must have been happy to travel home on Wednesday morning. The restart after the European Championship at home was a success – even though four long-standing pillars of the DFB team, Manuel Neuer, Toni Kroos, Ilkay Gündogan and Thomas Müller, had announced their resignation in recent weeks. Nagelsmann then deliberately refrained from making any further radical changes and put his trust in the players against Hungary (5-0) and in the Netherlands (2-2) who helped to spark a new euphoria around the German national team at the European Championship at home in the summer.

After the first 180 minutes of the 2024/25 international season, the first winners have been determined – and also the first losers.

The winners:

Marc-André ter Stegen: The new number 1 in the German goal showed confident performances against Hungary and in the Netherlands and did not exude the slightest bit of nervousness. That was important – for the keeper, his team and the public. With his calm and confident demeanor, he did not allow any doubts to arise about the correctness of Nagelsmann’s decision. His status is cemented – and rightly so.

Joshua Kimmich: The Munich player has never lacked ambition. On the contrary: it often seems as if he quickly has too much of it in him and therefore runs the risk of wanting to do too much on his own and thereby overdoing it. So can anyone be a good captain? Nagelsmann answered this question with a clear yes – and Kimmich confirmed the decision with two good performances in which he was also able to prove his sporting worth on the right side of defense. Not only because he scored against the Netherlands to make it 2-1. What applies to the goalkeeper question also applies to the captaincy question: discussion over.

Aleksandar Pavlovic: The Munich youngster would have already been at the European Championships if he hadn’t had to leave due to illness shortly before the opening match against Scotland. Nagelsmann brought him back for the two games at the start of the Nations League and put his trust in him as a substitute in both matches – which Pavlovic knew how to use without hesitation. Despite his first 20 years, he showed astonishing calm, composure and routine, but also courage. Sooner rather than later, there will be no way around him in the German control center if he can maintain this form.

The losers:

Those who have fallen behind are those who were not present at the two international matches. With the exception of Antonio Rüdiger, who is the undisputed leader of the defence, and Leroy Sané. Because at least when he is in top form, there is no way around the Munich speed dribbler as an important member of the squad and alternative to the attacking trio of Jamal Musiala, Kai Havertz and Florian Wirtz.

Referee frustration and aggressiveness: The lessons from the DFB’s new beginning

The German national team played a courageous 2:2 against the Netherlands. We take stock of the Nations League matches. Was the new beginning successful?

2 hours ago
11:48 minutes

A return to the illustrious circle of the national team, which was also absent from the European Championships, will be much more difficult. Nagelsmann’s team has found its feet, on the pitch, but above all off it. This means that the current circle is getting closer and closer together – and the call for external reinforcements is not even heard. This is not good news either for Munich’s Serge Gnabry and Leon Goretzka or Dortmund’s Niklas Süle and Julian Brandt. They will have to cause quite a stir in their clubs to qualify for a nomination again.