According to Julian Nagelsmann, his decision to extend his contract as national coach and not return to FC Bayern was not influenced by resentment against the record champions. “I checked my body yesterday and there was no stinger there,” said the 36-year-old in an interview with Magenta TV published on Thursday.
With this humorous statement, Nagelsmann was referring to Bayern sports director Max Eberl. He also explained Nagelsmann’s rejection of a second engagement in Munich with the experiences of the separation in March 2023. “And at some point you just realized, okay, the sting from back then is still deep. The separation is still very fresh,” said Eberl on Sky last Saturday.
Nagelsmann wanted to contradict this impression in the “Best Cast” format with moderator Johannes B. Kerner. “It is normal, in most cases, for the person being fired to want a different kind of behavior than those who are firing you. It’s probably the same with a player if I don’t nominate him. “So there’s no thorn deep there,” said Nagelsmann.
“I consciously decided to join the DFB”
The decision in favor of the DFB was well thought out. “I handle it the same way as I do with all player nominations, when I select the first eleven and think about who is the right player for the game, what is the right composition – then I always choose one player and not against one Player. And that’s how it is now. “I consciously decided to join the DFB,” said the national coach. In addition to the home European Championship, the prospect of leading the national soccer team to the 2026 World Cup in America is also a great attraction.
Last week, Nagelsmann extended his contract, which was expiring in the summer, until the 2026 World Cup. The decision was preceded by weeks of discussions. Nagelsmann himself got the topic rolling with statements before the March international games in France (2:0) and against the Netherlands (2:1).
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“I didn’t just have Bayern Munich and the DFB – there were a few other clubs there. I also have a duty to weigh everything up. I always had a good feeling at the DFB and it was always one of my favorites,” said the 36-year-old, who will be the youngest national coach to coach the DFB team at a tournament.
From a purely economic perspective, the decision should have been different, as Nagelsmann explained. “Everyone can imagine that you can earn more in the club. But that’s not my driving force. Of course, financial things are also important because I also have a responsibility, for my family, for myself, for my life. But if that was my main driving force, I would probably have ended up at the club sooner,” he said.
Nagelsmann: The European title is the goal
Nagelsmann expressly did not rule out a return to FC Bayern, who will face Eintracht Frankfurt in the Bundesliga this Saturday (3:30 p.m. in the FAZ live ticker for the Bundesliga and on Sky). But his happiness in life does not depend on working for certain clubs.
In this interview, the national coach also commented on the objectives for the upcoming European Championships in Germany. He stated that winning the title with the national team was his goal with a level of clarity that had not been expressed before. “When you take part in a tournament, take part in a game, the basic idea should be to win it. We promised the basic idea again in the last course. We will also illustrate this again as far as the players are concerned,” said Nagelsmann. “It is legitimate and healthy to set an example that we as a coaching team and as a team are competing to win the title,” added the 36-year-old.
So far, Nagelsmann had not announced a specific European Championship goal. DFB President Bernd Neuendorf mentioned reaching the semi-finals as a milestone. The national coach now made it clear. “In any case, we should get through the preliminary round, of course, and then one or two knockout rounds in order to speak of a good European Championship in terms of results,” he said.
