Germany manager Julian Nagelsmann became visibly frustrated with media questioning in the aftermath of his team's unexpected exit from the World Cup. Germany was eliminated in the last-32 stage by Paraguay, losing 4-3 on penalties after a 1-1 draw through extra time.
The match was not without controversy, as Germany had a goal disallowed in extra time. VAR ruled out a goal scored by Jonathan Tah, deeming that substitute Waldemar Anton committed a foul on Paraguay's goalkeeper Orlando Gill in the build-up. Nagelsmann described the decision as a "scandal."
During a post-match interview with ZDF reporter Lili Engels, Nagelsmann, 38, grew increasingly agitated when repeatedly asked about the team's slow build-up play and the disallowed goal. "We had a very slow build-up play; it took ages to shift it from wing to wing," Nagelsmann stated, adding that the disallowed goal was "a scandal."
When pressed again on the disallowed goal, Nagelsmann reiterated, "I'm seeing it again right now. It's not just a scandal, it's an absolute scandal. That is not even remotely a foul play."
Engels continued to question Nagelsmann about the team's performance, leading to a tense exchange. When asked for the reason behind Germany's exit, Nagelsmann repeated, "Yes, as I already said, our build-up play today was simply too slow." Upon further questioning, he responded, "Yes, I just told you. The build-up play was too slow. I've already said that three times now."
Nagelsmann's contract with the German Football Association (DFB) is set to expire after the Euro 2028 tournament. When asked about his future, he indicated his willingness to continue. "I am available. If the DFB wants it, then I will do the Euro 2028, and if not then they have to tell me. I'm not someone who runs away," he said. In his post-match press conference, he added, "In football, you don't have complete control. If the DFB wants me to, I'd be happy to prepare for the Euros and the Nations League. If they don't want me to, they need to say it."
Following Germany's early departure, there is growing speculation in Germany about Nagelsmann's successor, with former Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp being mentioned as a potential candidate. Klopp, who was present at the World Cup as a pundit for German broadcaster Magenta TV, commented on the speculation, stating, "I haven't thought about that yet. I understand that my name is being mentioned now. But it's not the time to talk about that."
