Former Germany manager Joachim Löw believes Julian Nagelsmann is on the right track with his squad selections, emphasizing the importance of a strong Bayern Munich contingent within the national team. Löw, who led Germany to the 2014 FIFA World Cup title, shared his insights in a recent interview, offering advice to his successor as Germany prepares for upcoming international fixtures and, the 2026 World Cup.
Löw managed the German national team from 2006 to 2021, achieving significant success including the 2014 World Cup victory in Brazil and the 2017 FIFA Confederations Cup title. His tenure saw a consistent emphasis on team development and tactical flexibility, principles he believes remain crucial for success.
The Value of a Bayern Core
Nagelsmann’s recent squad selections feature seven players from Bayern Munich, mirroring the composition of Löw’s victorious 2014 team. When asked about the significance of this Bayern block, Löw explained, “First of all, the national coach looks at individual positions. What’s important is: We have a certain attitude in the game, our idea of the game, and who best fulfills those tasks on the respective position? it doesn’t always play a decisive role which club the player is at, but what quality he brings. However, Notice reasons why a player plays in a successful club like Bayern Munich. A player who establishes himself there automatically has quality and is therefore valuable for the national team. Similarly, because he knows how to win titles.”
Löw stressed that while individual quality is paramount, a core of players familiar with each other’s movements and playing styles can provide a significant advantage. “The World Cup isn’t won in four weeks, it’s won over a few years and through the development of a team. That’s the most important thing. If many players now come from a club that has been successful in recent years, that’s a small advantage for the tournament that you can use. The players know each other very well, logically bring a certain automatism with them. In our 2014 World Cup team, there were also many Munich players. But what was decisive was that our team at the 2014 World Cup was able to develop over years, had basically the core in 2008/2009 at the U21 level and since 2010 made clear development steps in the A national team. It sometimes takes four, five years to simply be that mature, that good, that well-rehearsed, so that you can achieve a huge success and win massive titles.”
Goretzka’s Role and Pavlovic’s Potential
The conversation turned to specific players, including Leon Goretzka, who isn’t a regular starter for Bayern Munich but remains a valuable asset. Löw defended Goretzka’s inclusion, stating, “Yes, I understand his nomination. Leon is good, he is a player you can expect stability from. He has experience, can interpret his role very well. If you capture the whole season together, he has had many appearances and many minutes played. That’s okay, I think that’s enough. And perhaps most importantly: you can rely on Leon. Pavlovic is also very good, no question. And Bayern especially needs players who can replace them equally.”
Aleksandar Pavlovic, a rising star at Bayern, drew comparisons to Bastian Schweinsteiger, a key figure in Löw’s 2014 World Cup-winning team. Löw acknowledged the similarities, saying, “You can certainly draw certain parallels. He is an intelligent player. Players must anticipate situations before they actually arise, and Pavlovic is very good at that. When he gets the ball, he has a solution. He is secure on the ball, has orientation, even under pressure. That’s exactly what makes Pavlovic so valuable. He is therefore rightly with Bayern as well as in the national team.”
Karl’s Promise and Kimmich’s Position
The emergence of young talent also caught Löw’s attention, particularly Bayern’s Lennart Karl. “Really good,” Löw said. “He has excellent qualities and prerequisites. It’s very pleasing at Bayern because Vincent Kompany really promotes him. That wasn’t always normal at Bayern. A coach has to win there, has to be successful and win titles. He does that very skillfully, how he brings and develops the young players. That’s great. When young players like Karl feel this trust, they are motivated and can be integrated more easily.”
Regarding captain Joshua Kimmich, Löw discussed his versatility and optimal position. “That sometimes depends on the overall constellation. I believe that Joshua is currently playing at a world-class level in both positions. At the moment, I would say: Since we have players in central midfield who have the level to rise to the top, Joshua is in the right position on the right. Because we are struggling with the right-backs.”
Goalkeeping Depth and Offensive Options
Löw also weighed in on the inclusion of Bayern’s backup goalkeeper, Jonas Urbig, stating, “I don’t know Urbig’s quality well enough and I’m not constantly in contact with goalkeeping coaches to assess that comprehensively. What I observe is that he is doing very decently for his age at Bayern. Urbig plays there under great pressure, also in the Champions League last year, in important games for the championship. He has a really good aura. I can nominate the third goalkeeper like this because he has good potential.”
Looking at the attacking options, Löw acknowledged the strength of Bayern’s Jamal Musiala, Florian Wirtz, and Kai Havertz, but also highlighted the potential of Serge Gnabry. “It’s not up to me to evaluate that. But it’s no secret that Serge Gnabry, when he’s healthy and in rhythm, is always a player who is really great. He can score goals, is fast, technically good and a valuable combination player. Leroy also has exceptional abilities. Together with Wirtz, Musiala and perhaps Havertz, we have outstanding options in attack. It’s good to have players with slightly different profiles in the squad, and it’s logically important for a tournament. Who goes into the first game and plays with the team through? If I want to win the World Cup, I need alternatives. In Brazil 2014, we had players who were strong, who started. And we had players like André Schürrle, who came into the game and decided it. There is a certain role distribution during a tournament.”
Defensive Stability and the Bayern Advantage
In the defensive line, Löw identified Jonathan Tah as a key figure, complementing Antonio Rüdiger and Nico Schlotterbeck. “I think Jona complements the other two very well. Alongside Rüdiger or Schlotterbeck, who are both very strong in duels and proceed offensively into the duels, he is a calming influence. Jona has gained a lot of experience since he was with us in 2016 for Rüdiger at the European Championship. He was already good at the beginning of his career, but sometimes also flawed. He has improved a little bit over the years. For the past one or two years, Jona has been one of the very best central defenders you can imagine. He has become very good in build-up play and opening up the game. With his composure, his calm, his strength in duels, he is incredibly important for the team.”
Finally, Löw emphasized the potential benefit of Bayern Munich’s recent Champions League success for the national team. “A Champions League victory for Bayern would be a wonderful and ideal constellation for Germany, like the national team. Something like that gives every player immense self-confidence shortly before such a big tournament.”
This interview was conducted for the Sport Competence Center (WELT, SPORT BILD, BILD) and was first published in SPORT BILD.
Germany’s national team will continue their preparations with upcoming matches against Switzerland and Ghana, providing Nagelsmann with an opportunity to assess his squad and refine his tactics. The focus will be on building team cohesion and establishing a clear tactical identity ahead of the 2026 World Cup.
