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Page 1When players nominate their teammates
Page 2The DFB sets the agenda, it is said. Really?
Hilarity settles over the country. Germany is currently finding out which players will be at the European Championships in their own country; for those affected, it is one of the most beautiful days of the year. The public found out that Leverkusen’s Robert Andrich was allowed to take part: “I’m very happy that we can do this here, especially with Rob,” said national coach Julian Nagelsmann. But Felix Kroos to his brother Toni in their podcast Just lick it. Toni added: “Maybe I’ll introduce the person who took my place at the end.” Kroos will of course be there, he knows that too.
The fact that one player has now called another into the squad is the latest twist in a remarkable week. Nagelsmann will officially announce the squad on Thursday, but the DFB has already announced a number of names in a new way since Sunday.
Customers at the Seeger bakery in Nagold, Baden-Württemberg, were the first to hear about Chris Führich from Stuttgart, one of the season’s rising stars. Führich’s head was printed on Seeger’s sandwich bags. A roofer named Chiara chose Manuel Neuer as number 1. Niclas Füllkrug was brought in by the radio station 1Live. And then there was Grandma Lotti. The 93-year-old was presented with a jersey and a cake by Hamburg nurse and TikTok personality Rashid Hamid. The cake was decorated with a portrait. “That’s you!” she said to Hamid. But it was Jonathan Tah’s.
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One art gallery, one Peter Schilling and two YouTube clips later, twelve professionals know that they are there. Even if you have so far waited in vain for a player’s name to be played in a DJ set in Berghain or for a pigeon fancier in Saxony to take a name from the leg of his best racing pigeon: As with the presentation of the European Championship jersey in March, the DFB is buzzing with expectations the all-German representation.
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The question of whether this was one of the most sensational advertising measures in German post-war history can be debated. The trick used by the agency commissioned by the DFB is called teaser communication. Your concept works. The national team has been an issue in the country for days. Even the Tagesschau was involved in this campaign.
However, a few things get lost in the process. Tournament nominations are the most challenging task for the national coach, educationally, sportingly and personally. He can do a lot of things wrong. It rewards few and disappoints many, especially when the tournament takes place in Germany. If he cancels, he has to explain why they are not allowed to experience a unique event.
And so it only took a day before the names of the lucky ones became apparent what their nomination meant to others. How do you stage non-nominations? Not natural at all. Which brings you to Leon Goretzka and Mats Hummels. Both of them already sensed in March that things could be tight when their absence from the opening games against France and Netherlands was not mourned. Now it seems to be confirmed that Nagelsmann is foregoing this experience from 135 international matches.
Hilarity settles over the country. Germany is currently finding out which players will be at the European Championships in their own country; for those affected, it is one of the most beautiful days of the year. The public found out that Leverkusen’s Robert Andrich was allowed to take part: “I’m very happy that we can do this here, especially with Rob,” said national coach Julian Nagelsmann. But Felix Kroos to his brother Toni in their podcast Just lick it. Toni added: “Maybe I’ll introduce the person who took my place at the end.” Kroos will of course be there, he knows that too.
