National team: It was a mistake to weed out Hummels

Status: 09:21 a.m. | Reading time: 2 minutes

Dhe topic is now one and a half years old. It has its origins in a definition by Joachim Löw, the consequence of which many in the football industry did not really understand back then: the decision of the national coach in March 2019 to forego Mats Hummels, Jérôme Boateng and Thomas Müller in the future.

The latest appearances of the DFB team make it clear: It was a mistake to forego two internationally experienced central defenders. Especially since Hummels and Boateng have qualities that no central defender of the national team currently has. They can lead their fellow men and open the game. This is particularly true of the Dortmund Hummels.

The predetermined breaking point of the national team lies, this was not only evident in the 3: 3 (1: 2) in the Nations League game against Switzerland, in the defense. Löw has so far not been able to solve the problems – regardless of the line-up and the system in which he played on the defensive. On Tuesday he tried for the first time since November 2019 with a back four – which was just as unsatisfactory as the variant with three central defenders that he had tried in the previous games.

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It’s not the system, it’s the staff. Whether Matthias Ginter, Antonio Rüdiger or Niklas Süle, who played the central position in a three / five-man chain at the 2-1 in Ukraine – they all have their qualities, but none of them has so far developed the personality to fill the role of a defense chief .

Of course, Hummels is not the fastest

Despite the appreciation for flat hierarchies, there is currently a lack of someone who directs and leads the defensive network. And through which the game setup runs at the same time. Most likely Emre Can would be able to do this, but the Dortmund Devensiv all-rounder sees himself as a midfielder.

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The question has often been discussed, but has never been answered satisfactorily: Why does Löw still and without necessity forego the qualities of Hummels? Of course, the 2014 world champion is not the fastest – but he never was in previous years. Of course, he would have to rely on the help of more powerful colleagues, especially the midfielders. But especially a central role in a group of three central defenders would suit him, here his weaknesses could best be compensated for by faster and more robust people.

As a personality and strategist, he could still give the team a lot. Löw should at least be aware of this option. Especially since the time until the EM is slowly getting tight.