Bastian Schweinsteiger, a member of Germany's 2014 World Cup-winning team, said he believes the current German team lacks a leader.
"People can comment on Argentina's style of play as they please, but I admire their mentality more than I do about Germany's performance in the World Cup," Schweinsteiger said.
"Argentinians don't compromise easily. We used to be like that too. The team needs more fighters. But we don't have them anymore."
“When I talk to players like Ibrahimovic, Rooney, or Pogba, they all say the same thing: ‘You Germans have lost what we’ve always hoped to learn from you.’”
During the program, Kahn also agreed with Schweinsteiger's view, adding: "I remember Puyol once said to me: 'What can Spain do if we have your mentality, that is, the German mentality?' They have been working in that direction. Now, their style of play is more mature, and they have built the necessary mentality."
"Our players are clearly no longer used to the high level of physicality on the international stage," Kahn analyzed. "It was especially evident in the match against Paraguay. We were just playing too conservatively."
Schweinsteiger believes that Guardiola's time at Bayern Munich also had an impact on this. "In my opinion, we followed Guardiola's football philosophy too much when he was at Bayern from 2013 to 2016," said the former Bayern and Manchester United player.
The team's defeat was enough to prove his judgment. "Look at what the German team has achieved since then. After the semi-finals of the 2016 European Championship, reaching the quarter-finals of the 2021 European Championship was the highest they could go. In the years before that, we could at least reach the semi-finals," Schweinsteiger said.
"Whether at Bayern Munich or the national team, I've always known who my leader is. If you really have a leader, you won't be eliminated in the group stage twice at the World Cup, and then knocked out again in the round of 32," the former world-class midfielder emphasized.
