Germany’s national football team seeks to delight its fans after the Euro

Germany’s national football team aims to build on its positive performance in the UEFA European Championship (Euro 2024), which it hosted this summer, and continue to bring joy to its fans as the team plays its first match in the UEFA Nations League against Hungary on Saturday.

Niklas Füllkrug, Germany’s forward, said: “We won’t be able to play with the same effort and performance we showed at the Euros on home soil, but we want people to continue sympathizing with us and talking about us positively.”

After early exits in the group stages of the 2018 and 2022 World Cups, and elimination in the round of 16 in Euro 2020, the German national team experienced a “honeymoon” with its fans during the recent Euro Championship.

Germany was eliminated in the quarter-finals in a dramatic match against Spain, which went on to win the tournament, but received immense support and praise from its fans—something not seen since their 2014 World Cup victory.

Now, the German team aims to maintain its success and keep the support of its fans, even without winning the European Championship.

Germany’s coach, Julian Nagelsmann, said: “We have already taken many steps forward. But in the end, we only reached the quarter-finals of the Euros.”

Nagelsmann added: “We have the ambition to do more in the future. Our drive is to keep improving and winning matches. I hope we’ll see that right away against Hungary.”

Germany is preparing for a new era after several stars retired from international football following the Euro Championship. This includes goalkeeper Manuel Neuer, Thomas Müller, Ilkay Gündogan, and Toni Kroos, who ended his football career altogether.

The German team will now rely more on the younger generation, led by new captain Joshua Kimmich, Florian Wirtz, and Jamal Musiala.

All 23 players on the team’s roster are ready for the group stage match against Hungary, before the team faces the Netherlands on Monday in another Nations League fixture.