Philipp Lahm criticizes Julian Nagelsmann after Germany's World Cup exit
Former Germany captain Philipp Lahm has called for a return to the national team's traditional identity following their early World Cup elimination.
Philipp Lahm s'est montré très critique envers Julian Nagelsmann. (M.Fischer/Presse Sports)
Following Germany's shock round-of-16 elimination from the World Cup at the hands of Paraguay (1-1, 3-4 on penalties), former captain Philipp Lahm has offered a scathing analysis of the national team's current state. The 2014 World Cup winner believes the team has lost its status as a tournament-hardened side.
In his column for The Guardian, Lahm questioned the lack of a clear identity:
«Are we Spain? Argentina? France? No, we are Germany. We have our own culture. We must return to our style of football. We should do it with conviction»
Lahm criticized the tactical instability under head coach Julian Nagelsmann, specifically highlighting the frequent formation changes and the shifting of players like Joshua Kimmich and Florian Wirtz from their most effective roles. According to the former Bayern Munich defender, these constant adjustments have prevented the squad from finding its rhythm compared to other major football nations.
Despite the disappointing exit, Lahm defended the players, insisting that the current squad possesses more talent than any nation other than France. Nagelsmann is expected to step down as manager, with rumors circulating that Jurgen Klopp is the leading candidate to take over.