Thomas Müller has once again publicly criticized former German national team coach Julian Nagelsmann, pointing out fundamental problems with the national team's key player positions.
More than two weeks have passed since Germany's World Cup exit, but the shadow of defeat has not yet faded. Nagelsmann has resigned as head coach, and Klopp is considered a leading candidate to succeed him. Former national team players are also continuing to reflect on the reasons for the defeat. 36-year-old World Cup-winning player Müller now works as a commentator on MagentaTV, where he provided a detailed analysis of the team's performance on Nagelsmann's podcast.
Müller believes that the German national team has never truly defined the right positions for its top players. "We didn't develop that feeling, that we knew what positions our superstars should play, and we faced difficulties in making those decisions," Müller said. "Musiala, Wirtz, who should play where? We all know they both like to operate in the center. In addition, there has been ongoing debate about whether Havertz is a true center forward."
Besides Musiala, Wirtz, and Havertz, Müller also spoke about Kimmich. He particularly questioned the practice of placing Kimmich at right-back: "Where should I put my pillar? Kimmich is definitely the obvious pillar. But if you put him in a position where he can't really play the role of pillar, what's the point? Other countries are completely different; their superstars play the same position for the national team as they do for their clubs."
Müller acknowledged that Kimmich could indeed prove valuable at right-back in certain matches, especially when opponents weren't putting much pressure on Germany. However, he believes this is still debatable: "If you think about it carefully, our top players are playing in positions that aren't really theirs, or at least positions that have been adjusted, then the whole system might be flawed. Perhaps I need to accept that there might be fewer high-quality performances at certain points on the pitch."
Müller cited Spain, England, and France as positive examples, noting that these teams always put their best players in their best positions. His conclusion was quite straightforward: "Our superstars aren't strong enough. We have potential, but the question is who can truly realize it. In this respect, other countries and players are definitely ahead."
For the German national team, the next few years will be crucial in closing this gap – a task that will likely be undertaken by a new coach. Klopp is the clear frontrunner to succeed Nagelsmann.
