International Break thread

[cgf]

Ultimately we fell short against spain after not getting a pen we probably should've...again...but with the last international break behind us, this was a really positive year for the NT. The senior team's only loss was that match against Spain, taking the NL seriously for the first time in our history, as Nagelsmann has been building a really strong squad around our duo of BdO caliber maestros.

I still feel like we need to integrate Pavlovic or Stiller into the starting 11 before the WM, but Andrich has really settled in well. It all makes sense the way his game has progressed, but I would never have predicted this when he left us for the pillpushers. Plus moving Kimmich to RB and Mittelstädt's evolution have really solidified the back 4.

The U21s had a much more disappointing Euros, as Mouki got hurt and some of the other top talents weren't part of that squad, but have been rolling since then with a bunch of kids who have already warranted senior team looks...Mouki, Beier, Adeyemi, Gruda, Wanner...with rapidly improving depth further back down the pitch; including two young keepers already starting for the clubs (Urbig & Atubolu).

Our U19s have been more up and down, but as the generation who won the euros & WM at the U17 level have hit the U19s that team is now loaded with kids that have the talent to not just play for the senior team, but star for it if their development continues to go well...Darvich, Ouedraogo, Brunner, Moerstedt, Kabar, Moreira, Jeltsch, etc. So there should be further reinforcements on the way next cycle.

[magik9113]

The UEFA NL quarter finals aren't until March 20, but:

Italy v Germany
Denmark v Portugal

Netherlands v Spain
Croatia v France

[magik9113]

Nations League:
Italy 1 - 2 Germany
Croatia 2 - 0 France
Netherlands 2 - 2 Spain
Denmark 1 - 0 Portugal

[MetalFingaz]

The next World Cup might be weirder than the Qatari one, given the current regime's war on tourists. Is anyone gonna come to America, players included, when there's a non-zero chance they'll be detained and tortured in an ICE detention center or disappeared to a labor camp in El Salvador? Of course Infantino is loving it: https://www.theguardian.com/football/2025/mar/12/gianni-infantino-donald-trump-2026-world-cup

[-Luke-]

Any initial and premature conclusions about the Tuchel debut?

[cgf]

Nations League:
Italy 1 - 2 Germany
Croatia 2 - 0 France
Netherlands 2 - 2 Spain
Denmark 1 - 0 Portugal

Nagelsmann experimented too much with the injuries we've got right now, but made good changes at halftime to secure our first ever win at the San Siro. Hopefully JN goes back to two (or even three) forwards for the return leg and starts Andrich at the 6...whether next to Goretzka, Stiller, or Amiri.

Kleindienst
Musiala - Burkardt/Undav - Sane/Leweling/Adeyemi
Andrich - Stiller/Goretzka/Amiri
Schlotterbeck - Tah - Rüdiger - Kimmich
Baumann

[Baphomet]

Any initial and premature conclusions about the Tuchel debut?

Honestly, not really. Albania put up a wall, and England struggled to penetrate it. However, they controlled the game patiently, looked for openings, passed the ball much more than I'm accustomed to as an England fan. They passed the ball 865 times according to the stats, which, without having the number in front of me, is probably more than they ever did under Southgate, or certainly at the top end. So you can see some new tactical and coaching patterns forming.

I would add, Kane looks much fitter this year, and the young lad from Arsenal who scored looks good. Not much to take from that game. I thought the team selection was quite bold. Didn't expect any of Burn, Konsa, Lewis-Skelly, Jones or Rashford to start. Probably a good idea to see what he's going to get from "fringe" selections while the games are easier. Not to sound like I'm disparaging Albania or those players at all, they're having good seasons in the PL, just didn't expect to see them starting.

[magik9113]

Men vs boys here in Germany. And then Italy further embarrass themselves conceding a second time being completely unaware that ball boys exist

[Foye]

Men vs boys here in Germany. And then Italy further embarrass themselves conceding a second time being completely unaware that ball boys exist

The men and boys swapped teams in the second half.

Gotta say I didnt like the Nations League but the most recent set of games has been fairly entertaining and intense.

[cgf]

Men vs boys here in Germany. And then Italy further embarrass themselves conceding a second time being completely unaware that ball boys exist

The men and boys swapped teams in the second half.

Gotta say I didnt like the Nations League but the most recent set of games has been fairly entertaining and intense.

I picked the right half to get back on the road

Glad we held on, hope JN learns his lessons and we see some combination of Andrich/Nmecha - Pavlovic/Stiller against Portugal.

[Bobbcats]

Nations league is a great excuse for the best teams to play each other for something.

For the next round I hope Deschamps finally calls up Cherki for France Spain. most exciting player in the world IMO and they leave him playing against children. His game is made to get better the better teammates he has,
Mbappe
Doué Olise Cherki
would kill.

[magik9113]

Was nice to see Moise Kean get some meaningful goals for Italy. Once Retegui was ruled out, I figured we'd score zero goals between the two legs. I feel he was robbed of a potential hattrick when VAR and the referee backtracked on the PK. Foul or not, the foul was called and so I saw nothing from the replay that was "enough" to overturn the call. Oh well.

Sandro Tonali may be our best player, along with Calafiori who sadly injured his knee once again in stoppage time of the first leg [with NO contact ]
Di Marco's absence hurts as well, but Udogie filled in very well. He was a bright spot for us.
Italy played decent enough in the first leg and second half of the second -- I think we are going from absolute garbage to having some actual potential. But I think being good enough for the world cup semi final is 100% impossible with this group of players and coaches. I suppose a lot can change in a year though...just look at what postponing the Euro did for us in 2021

[Foye]

Nations league is a great excuse for the best teams to play each other for something.

For the next round I hope Deschamps finally calls up Cherki for France Spain. most exciting player in the world IMO and they leave him playing against children. His game is made to get better the better teammates he has,
Mbappe
Doué Olise Cherki
would kill.

Cherki has been great but you can't drop Dembele for him.
Dembele has been playing in a league of his own since moving to CF.

I'd drop Mbappe before I drop Dembele.
And Olise really isn't an OM.

[cgf]

Nations league is a great excuse for the best teams to play each other for something.

For the next round I hope Deschamps finally calls up Cherki for France Spain. most exciting player in the world IMO and they leave him playing against children. His game is made to get better the better teammates he has,
Mbappe
Doué Olise Cherki
would kill.

Cherki has been great but you can't drop Dembele for him.
Dembele has been playing in a league of his own since moving to CF.

I'd drop Mbappe before I drop Dembele.
And Olise really isn't an OM.

If not for DD they could play Dembele up front, move Mbappe back to his preferred LW, Olise on his favored RW, Doue or Cherki at the 10...with the other coming off the bench alongside Barcola & Thuram / Ekitike / Kolo Muani...and be massive threats to win it all. Instead they'll lose to us, Spain, Argentina, or some underdog that takes them to penalties.

[wco81]

Nations league is a great excuse for the best teams to play each other for something.

For the next round I hope Deschamps finally calls up Cherki for France Spain. most exciting player in the world IMO and they leave him playing against children. His game is made to get better the better teammates he has,
Mbappe
Doué Olise Cherki
would kill.

Cherki has been great but you can't drop Dembele for him.
Dembele has been playing in a league of his own since moving to CF.

I'd drop Mbappe before I drop Dembele.
And Olise really isn't an OM.

If not for DD they could play Dembele up front, move Mbappe back to his preferred LW, Olise on his favored RW, Doue or Cherki at the 10...with the other coming off the bench alongside Barcola & Thuram / Ekitike / Kolo Muani...and be massive threats to win it all. Instead they'll lose to us, Spain, Argentina, or some underdog that takes them to penalties.

Are you talking in the Nations League or in the WC?

Are teams running the same lineups and tactics in the NL as those they plan to use in the WC next year?

If it's only in the NL, who cares?

[cgf]

Cherki has been great but you can't drop Dembele for him.
Dembele has been playing in a league of his own since moving to CF.

I'd drop Mbappe before I drop Dembele.
And Olise really isn't an OM.

If not for DD they could play Dembele up front, move Mbappe back to his preferred LW, Olise on his favored RW, Doue or Cherki at the 10...with the other coming off the bench alongside Barcola & Thuram / Ekitike / Kolo Muani...and be massive threats to win it all. Instead they'll lose to us, Spain, Argentina, or some underdog that takes them to penalties.

Are you talking in the Nations League or in the WC?

Are teams running the same lineups and tactics in the NL as those they plan to use in the WC next year?

If it's only in the NL, who cares?

I was talking about at the WM next summer. France could be a massive threat, but DD will do what he can to prevent that from happening.

[Bobbcats]

No doubt Dembele deserves to be there (the others too) but just my preference I mainly want to see what Cherki can do with Mbappe and co. I picked Dembele because like Cherki he tends to do the high risk of losing possession things and I want to see Cherki trying that with higher caliber teammates. (Dembele is great at it, and he's always doing the first two or three amazing things but at the end it just doesn't seem to come off with NT)

All three of the PSG guys are successful because of a "let's see what happens when I do this aggressive thing" mentality and then they rely on being fast to react to the situation it causes. It comes off great for PSG because between the 3 of them they are likely to be able pick on a defender in Ligue 1 who reacts wrong/slowly. Cherki is more precise it's more of "this is what's going to happen when I do this." When France has trouble scoring against an organized defense, I think he will shine with attackers that can anticipate things quickly, he hasn't had that with Lyon much.

[magik9113]

Couple of good Nations League games yesterday. 9 goals in one match?! I do wonder what would've happened if Cherki started that one.

Love to see Juventus greats Conceicao and Ronaldo get some goals

should be an excellent final

[magik9113]

Norway are giving Italy the beatdown in an important qualifier. This ought to be Spalletti’s last game in charge

[El Turco]

3 world cups in a row without Italy would be a disaster