BOSTON — Julian Nagelsmann said he wants to remain Germany’s head coach despite the four-time world champion’s shock elimination from the World Cup, insisting he has no intention of walking away after another disappointing tournament for the national team.
Germany’s hopes of ending a 12-year wait for a major international title ended on Monday with a penalty shootout defeat to Paraguay in the round of 32, extending the country’s recent struggles at the World Cup after group-stage exits in 2018 and 2022.
The defeat has immediately raised questions about Nagelsmann’s future, although the 38-year-old made it clear that he would welcome the opportunity to continue if the German Football Association retains confidence in him.
“This is no longer in my hands, but I am ready if they want,” Nagelsmann said. “If someone does not want this, then they have to tell me. I want to continue.”
“I’m not someone who runs away,” he added. “I want to continue, but in football you don’t always have control over things. If the DFB wants it, then I will prepare for the European Championship and the Nations League.”
Nagelsmann, appointed in 2023, became the youngest coach to oversee a World Cup knockout match in four decades. Before the tournament, he had repeatedly declared that Germany’s objective was to restore its reputation by capturing a fifth World Cup title, comments that many observers in Germany viewed as ambitious given the team’s inconsistent form in recent years.
Instead, Germany’s campaign ended far earlier than expected.
The defeat was especially painful because it marked the first time Germany had ever lost a World Cup penalty shootout. Long regarded as one of international football’s most reliable teams from the penalty spot, Germany faltered as Kai Havertz, Nick Woltemade and Jonathan Tah all failed to convert during the decisive shootout.
The result left thousands of German supporters inside the stadium stunned while extending a prolonged period of underachievement for one of football’s traditional powers.
Germany has not reached the final of a major international tournament since lifting its fourth World Cup title in Brazil in 2014. Although Nagelsmann guided the team to the quarterfinals of Euro 2024 on home soil, the latest World Cup disappointment is likely to intensify scrutiny of his position.
“There was more possible in this tournament,” Nagelsmann said. “We would have liked to measure ourselves against France in the round of 16. But as it is, it is just not good enough.”
Germany’s elimination leaves the national federation facing another important decision as preparations begin for the next European Championship and the UEFA Nations League. Whether Nagelsmann remains in charge will now depend on whether federation officials believe the country’s youngest World Cup coach in 40 years is still the right person to rebuild one of international football’s most successful programs.
