November 20 – Germany’s national team will stick to football after a flopped World Cup in Qatar, both manager Julian Nagelsmann and captain Joshua Kimmich have said.
Germany manager Julian Nagelsmann emphasised that his players should stick to football after learning lessons from the Qatar World Cup.
“We saw in Qatar (at the 2022 World Cup) that too many political issues can harm a team,” Nagelsmann told broadcaster N-TV on Tuesday. “I think we’ve all learned from that and should all learn from that. That’s why we have experts who take care of these things and should take care of them. We’re experts in sports and take care of sports.”
In Qatar, the Germans posed for a team photo with their mouths covered before their opening match and planned, together with six other European teams, to wear a ‘OneLove’ armband before dropping the idea due to the threat of disciplinary action. German Minister Nancy Faeser did wear the armband beside FIFA president Gianni Infantino in the stands. The German gestures were seen as criticism of Qatar’s human rights record and discriminatory laws.
With FIFA set to award the 2034 World Cup to Saudi Arabia in December, human rights are high on the agenda again. Rights groups have highlighted the oppressive nature of the Saudi regime and the ‘kafala’ system in the country. German media report that the German FA (DFB) will vote in favour of Saudi Arabia, the sole candidate for the 2034 tournament.
“In the end, it’s not me as a coach or we as a team who make the decision (for World Cup host) but the decisions are made in completely different areas, different spheres. It doesn’t have that much to do with us. We have to prepare ourselves accordingly wherever the tournament is taking place,” Nagelsmann said.
“I think it’s obvious that not everything is perfect in Saudi Arabia. But again, that’s not for us to assess.”
Nagelsmann’s words echo those of German captain Kimmich who lamented his team’s expressions in Qatar. “In general, us players should stand for specific values, especially as the captain of the national team,” said Kimmich. “It’s not our job to express ourselves politically.”
“Look at the issue of Qatar. We did not present an overall good picture as a team and country. We expressed political opinions and it took a bit away from the joy of the tournament. It was an outstanding World Cup in terms of organisation.”
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