Germany coach Julian Nagelsmann said his side is still trying to close the gap on the top teams in the world after its 2-0 Nations League defeat by France on Sunday but he was confident it is building something special.
Goals from Kylian Mbappe and Michael Olise earned France the victory and third place in the Nations League. Nagelsmann saw improvement in his side from its 2-1 semifinal defeat by Portugal on Wednesday.
“If we perform like we did today and don’t take a step back against the teams in the World Cup qualifiers, then hopefully, we’ll march through and prepare well,” he told reporters.
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“Of course, we’re still a few percentage points behind where we want to be, and behind the top teams in the world. We can’t tear down the world in a year or two and make up for everything that may not have gone 100% right over several years.
“Nevertheless, I sense something in the whole group, both the players and the staff, something special. There’s a special touch and a lot of potential still in waiting.”
Germany, which last won the World Cup in 2014 and has been eliminated in the group stage in the past two editions, is in Group A of Europe’s qualifiers for the 2026 tournament in North America.
It begins its campaign in September against Slovakia in Bratislava.
Content Source: sportstar.thehindu.com