DFB team ahead of the 2024 European Football Championship with tests in France and against Holland

Julian Nagelsmann is pushing ahead with his preparations for the European Championship and has scheduled the cracking test games in March in France and against the Netherlands. The national soccer team starts the home European Championship year on March 23rd (9 p.m. in the FAZ live ticker for DFB international matches) in Lyon against World Cup runners-up France. On March 26th (8:45 p.m. in the FAZ live ticker for DFB international matches) there will be a no less explosive classic against Oranje in Frankfurt/Main. The German Football Association confirmed this on Monday.

It is still unclear where Nagelsmann and his European Championship candidates will prepare for the games. The DFB team last trained at the association campus in Frankfurt. “Two traditional duels against major football nations are the perfect start to the European Championship year. France is one of the top favorites for the title, and the Netherlands are also to be reckoned with,” said Nagelsmann.

Bad memories of Lyon

Germany won 2-1 against France in Dortmund shortly after parting ways with national coach Hansi Flick in September under interim coach Rudi Völler. However, the DFB does not have any good memories of Lyon as a venue. At the 1998 World Cup there was a bitter end with a 3-0 defeat against Croatia in the quarter-finals. The DFB selection last played 1-1 against Holland in a test match in Amsterdam in March 2022.

After the disappointing performances against Turkey (2:3) and in Austria (0:2), Nagelsmann announced drastic measures to prepare for the European Championship. “I am sure that we have sold ourselves short over the past year, which none of us are happy with. We have a lot of work ahead of us to be optimally prepared for the first international matches of the year and especially the tournament. There is still a long way to go, but we are excited and really looking forward to these challenges,” said the national coach.

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Further decisions are expected before Christmas. We are still looking for two test opponents for the beginning of June. These should be similar to the style of play of the EM group opponents. Germany opens the European Championship on June 14th in Munich against Scotland, followed by games against Hungary on June 19th in Stuttgart and on June 23rd in Frankfurt against Switzerland.

The final preparation for the tournament will take place after the end of the Bundesliga season at the end of May and beginning of June. Donaueschingen and a golf hotel near Weimar, where the English are staying during the European Championships, were recently mentioned as possible locations. The DFB has not yet commented on the subject of training camps. However, the option of completing the preparation in the EM quarters in Herzogenaurach is probably off the table.