Germany won their first game under Julian Nagelsmann, coming back from a goal down to beat the USA 3-1. Here’s what the new coach, the captain, and Mats Hummels had to say after the game.
Julian Nagelsmann: “We came back really well, which can’t be understated after the last few months and going a goal down. The boys performed really well and played some really nice football. We didn’t have much control in the first half and didn’t do everything right. We created a lot of chances over the course of the game and deserved to win in the end. Ilkay Gündogan was unbelievable today, unreal. The fact that he kept pushing and didn’t just stand around before he scored the equaliser was crucial. I felt that we wanted to get things done too quickly. We played with a lot of pace in the second half, but we were also more patient and had more control.”
Ilkay Gündogan: “We’re trying to implement how the coach wants us to play. It worked really well during a few passages of play today, but we were less successful at other points. We got the result we wanted at the end of the day and got things off to a good start with a good performance.”
Mats Hummels: “It was a really special moment. I was more nervous than I thought I’d be. It was fun before the game, but it was also nice to be out there on the pitch. The USA had more space in the first half and we then made a few adjustments. That worked well but the key thing was having possession. We were definitely better on the ball in the second half and didn’t give them any more chances to hit us on the counter.”
Germany won their first game under Julian Nagelsmann, coming back from a goal down to beat the USA 3-1. Here’s what the new coach, the captain, and Mats Hummels had to say after the game.
Julian Nagelsmann: “We came back really well, which can’t be understated after the last few months and going a goal down. The boys performed really well and played some really nice football. We didn’t have much control in the first half and didn’t do everything right. We created a lot of chances over the course of the game and deserved to win in the end. Ilkay Gündogan was unbelievable today, unreal. The fact that he kept pushing and didn’t just stand around before he scored the equaliser was crucial. I felt that we wanted to get things done too quickly. We played with a lot of pace in the second half, but we were also more patient and had more control.”
Ilkay Gündogan: “We’re trying to implement how the coach wants us to play. It worked really well during a few passages of play today, but we were less successful at other points. We got the result we wanted at the end of the day and got things off to a good start with a good performance.”
Mats Hummels: “It was a really special moment. I was more nervous than I thought I’d be. It was fun before the game, but it was also nice to be out there on the pitch. The USA had more space in the first half and we then made a few adjustments. That worked well but the key thing was having possession. We were definitely better on the ball in the second half and didn’t give them any more chances to hit us on the counter.”
