Germany Coach Admits Team Has “A Lot of Work to Do” Ahead of Hosting Euro 2024

Germany Slumps to Defeat to Belgium in Friendly

Germany suffered a 3-2 defeat to Belgium in a friendly on Tuesday, just over a year before the team hosts the Euro 2024 tournament. The four-time world and three-time European champions have failed to make it past the last 16 in their last two World Cup appearances and were knocked out of Euro 2020 in the same round. Speaking after the game, Germany coach Hansi Flick admitted, “We have lots of work to do.”

Team’s Poor Run of Form Continues

The defeat to Belgium comes after Germany ended their World Cup hangover with a 2-0 victory over Peru on Saturday. Despite this, the team showed against Belgium they were still far from Europe’s elite. Germany reached at least the semi-finals at six consecutive major tournaments from 2006 and 2016, but they have failed to make it past the quarters since. The team’s slump is increasingly being seen as more significant, with Lothar Matthaeus describing their performance against Belgium as the “worst that I have seen in my long, long life.”

Flick Vows to Develop Team Ahead of Euro 2024

Flick had promised to experiment with team selections in the two friendlies against Peru and Belgium and stood down several first-team regulars, including Thomas Mueller, Leroy Sane, Niklas Suele, and Antonio Ruediger. However, the loss cannot be attributed to blooding inexperienced players with only four players under 27 in the matchday squad. Despite this, Flick remains committed to developing the team and says he will take the positives from their defeat to Belgium.

Captain Kimmich Calls for Improvement

Although Germany has already qualified as the home country for the European Championship, captain Joshua Kimmich admits much needs to change before the tournament next year. Calling the defeat to Belgium a wake-up call, Kimmich said, “Today we noticed that we are not yet at the top international level. Fortunately, we still have a little bit of time.”

Credit: https://ewn.co.za/2023/03/29/germany-fail-first-true-post-world-cup-test-with-euro-in-sight

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