Nagelsmann wins debut as Germany national team coach

The Julian Nagelsmann era began as well as it could have as the German national team came away with a comfortable victory against the United States in Hartford, Connecticut.

Ahead of the match against the 2026 World Cup co-hosts, the former Bayern Munich coach cut a relaxed figure. "I feel ready. It's a great honor and a great deal to be the coach of such a great football nation," the 36-year-old said pregame.

DW provides three takeaways from Nagelsmann's coaching debut as Germany continues its preparations for its home European Championship.

Germany's defensive issues continue

The simple win was a significant achievement in itself for Nagelsmann, given that his predecessor, Hansi Flick, had failed to win any of his final five games. However, the coaching change did not alter the German national team's defensive frailties.

With Germany having failed to produce a decent right-back since the retirement of Philipp Lahm, they have continued with the ritual of placing center-backs in the position. Against the US, Nagelsmann opted to put Bayer Leverkusen's Jonathan Tah in that role.

Christian Pulisic, a former Borussia Dortmund forward, exposed Germany's weakness on the right flank. He easily passed Tah and then Antonio Rüdiger before finding the back of the net to put the Americans in front early.

While the necessity to shore up the right side of defense remains, Mats Hummels spoke highly of his new head coach's management style.

Hummels was recalled to the national side for the first time since Euro 2020. At the heart of Germany's defense, he completed an impressive 97% of his passes.

The Dortmund defender said Nagelsmann's tactics were "to the point and very clear," adding that he is a "very good coach."

"I was impressed," Hummels explained. "There was a bit extra in the game than we thought. In the first half, the USA had a bit too much room. The key (after the break) was our ball possession, and we didn't leave ourselves exposed to counterattacks."

"I think it's about getting to know each other as well as we can for all the defenders, as we don't know each other that well yet. Just on this organizational basis, it already worked very well."

Nagelsmann echoed that sentiment. "We didn't do everything right individually in defense, which is normal in such a short time. We still have to improve a bit," the German coach said.

Niclas Füllkrug lethal up top

Although many of Germany's struggles in 2023 centered around their inability to capitalize on scoring opportunities in the final third, Niklas Füllkrug showed once more that he is the striker Germany need.

Füllkrug was crucial to Germany's victory, scoring the go-ahead goal before assisting another from Jamal Musiala in a three-minute span. The 30-year-old striker now has 10 goal contributions in as many appearances for the national team after making his debut ahead of the Qatar World Cup less than a year ago.

He was a surprise addition to the 2022 World Cup squad, lacking the pace and nimble movement of a potentially younger forward. However, he has proved his worth through his scoring ability, which has exacerbated issues in this area in other parts of the Germany squad.

"[Füllkrug] always finds himself in a good position," Nagelsmann said following the win. "That's why he's a top striker. Football-wise, it was very good the whole time."

Jamal Musiala, Florian Wirtz bring youth to aging squad

The average age in Nagelsman's first starting lineup as Germany's coach was 28.97 years — six players were over the age of 30. That is the oldest lineup a German national team coach has fielded in his first game since the introduction of the Bundesliga in 1953.

The exceptions to this aging squad were 20-year-olds Musiala and Florian Wirtz. Both impressed in the heart of Germany's attacking midfield, especially in the second half.

After initially playing a more defensive role, Musiala pushed further up after the break and was key to helping Germany produce a more cohesive, quicker attacking style of play.

Unlike the football produced under Flick, where the team sought to hold on to the ball and pass within their own half, Nagelsmann's side looked slick and fast-paced in contrast.

"In the second half, we still had a fast tempo but much more patience," Nagelsmann said. "We were good in the positions and patiently created the same number of chances as in the first half, but with much more control. That was the difference."

The old guard still had a role to play. Barcelona midfielder Ilkay Gündogan, who kept the captaincy despite Germany's coaching change, scored his first goal as Germany's skipper to level the score before halftime.

"[Nagelsmann] demanded a certain kind of football from us," Gündogan said. "We try to implement that, and today it worked really well in some scenes and not so well in others."

Edited by: Davis VanOpdorp