Julian Nagelsmann: The coach struggling to speak to Germany

Julian Nagelsmann: The coach struggling to speak to Germany June 12, 2026Julian Nagelsmann enters this World Cup in a completely different environment to Germany's home Euros two years ago. The shine around the 38-year-old head coach has faded somewhat as his communication skills have been called into question. Most of the concern is focused on his dramatic recalling of retired goalkeeper Manuel Neuer to the Germany squad just weeks before the start of the tournament despite having spent a year reinforcing Oliver Baumann as the number one. In March, he also delivered very public criticism of striker Deniz Undav, saying the player had played poorly after a game in which Undav had scored the winner. He later, after revealing he had spoken to his wife on the matter, apologized for his comments, saying he had got it wrong. For a coach whose early rise was built off of a strong psychological antenna and one who has been keen to develop the strength of the group, the months leading up to the World Cup have been far from ideal. "Please understand that not every detail of my conversations with the players can be made public," said Nagelsmann during Germany's squad announcement last month. "I try to explain things thoroughly and keep people informed. Sometimes I’m not as successful as I’d like to be, and sometimes I am." Nagelsmann indecision a reflection of German society? "Football embodies the essence of social communication. In a highly diverse and fragmented society, it possesses the rare ability to bring together different social circles and groups," Jürgen Mittag, a professor of sports politics and sociology at the German Sport University Cologne, told DW. "The national team coach thus becomes the focal point of this fragmented public sphere and the broader social discourses associated with it," Perhaps Nagelsmann's indecision is an extension of the mood of the country. After all, many a famous parallel has been drawn between the Germany head coach and the chancellor. While these parallels shouldn't take on too much importance, they have become part of the social history of both the national team and the country. Former Germany coach Joachim Löw and former German Chancellor Angela Merkel are perhaps the most famous example of this. The pair were deeply connected throughout the 15 years the two shared in their respective roles. The pair shared an integrative and cohesive approach, but perhaps lacked the willingness to push through needed reforms. Fittingly, they both left their jobs in 2021. "Julian Nagelsmann, on the other hand, could—with all due caution—be compared to Friedrich Merz: someone who attempts to push through more far-reaching structural reforms, but in doing so also polarizes more strongly and does not always strike the most skillful tone in his communication," Mittag said. Why would a head coach make these decisions? For many, the question about Neuer makes sense from a sporting perspective, but is it worth the risk given his injuries? And why now? And what does the team think of the decision? "Out in the public domain, especially with the media, a lot of coaches get themselves into trouble by trying to be too clever," coaching mentor Cody Royle, who has worked with teams in the NBA, MLB, NHL and the Premier League, told DW. "It can be easy to try to sound intelligent and over-explain to show you’re deserving of the level. But my approach is the opposite. To paraphrase the American investor Charlie Munger, coaches should spend less time trying to seem smart, and more time trying to be less dumb." Royle believes Nagelsmann's comments on Undav were a sign the stress was getting to the head coach, but his decision on Neuer was a sign of a coach in command and connected to his approach. "I think he has dealt with the goalkeeper situation quite elegantly. He portrayed a calm confidence, and was thoughtful and intelligent in his description about why he’d included Neuer. He’s hired to make big decisions like this one, and I’m glad to see he stuck to his guns and didn’t flinch when it became apparent that it would be an unpopular decision," Royle said. As for the players, Pascal Gross told "Kicker" that "Nagelsmann's credibility hasn't suffered in the slightest." Can Nagelsmann bring Germany together again for one summer? After Euro 2024, Julian Nagelsmann delivered a speech that stretched far beyond his team's success or the joy of the tournament. Some thought it felt more fitting of a president than a head coach, but most were positively surprised and impressed by his public display of emotion. "After the tournament, Nagelsmann delivered a remarkably emotional speech in which he emphasized community, solidarity, and a return to shared experiences. He spoke about the connection between fans and the national team as well as social cohesion in a broader sense, highlighting issues of integration in the process. This intervention stood in stark contrast to many current social developments," Mittag said. But the view of Nagelsmann then is not the same as now. Not only has Germany changed in the two years since, but so has the feeling around this team and its coach. The good vibes of a home tournament have faded and been replaced by global political turmoil, a bloated World Cup and a head coach who appears, just weeks before the tournament, to still not know his best 11. It also can't help that so many leaks about the squad came out before the official announcement. Nevertheless, with legacies and reputations on the line, Nagelsmann remains bullish. "I don't think the situation before the home Euros is much different to the one now. We are ready. I don't know if its my job to create euphoria ahead of the tournament. My job is to create the moments that lead to that joy," Nagelsmann said. The summer of 2026 will reveal just how many moments he and this team can create. Edited by: Chuck Penfold