The German national football team got off to a successful start to the European Championship year. But just as coach Julian Nagelsmann’s team should not be hastily written off after their weak performances last autumn, they should now not be celebrated as favorites for the European Championship title as a reflex to the 2-0 win in France. On Tuesday, the Netherlands, the second well-known opponent, awaits the Germans. Only this game should show whether the DFB is back in the business of the major football associations.
The friendly match in France has renewed hopes in the country of the 2014 world champions. A key player in this was Toni Kroos, a 2014 World Cup hero who celebrated a fantastic return to the DFB team and showed exactly the leadership qualities that had been missing from the recently often disappointing team. Kroos was always present on the pitch, demanded – and got – the ball and, when necessary, was not above robust tackles. With his performance, Toni Kroos proved the critics wrong about his return.
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