STUTTGART, Germany – Germany´s job is to keep home supporters dreaming at Euro 2024, coach Julian Nagelsmann said after his team´s 2-0 win over Hungary, adding that he is thinking of winning the next match and not looking ahead to the knockout round.
Nagelsmann lauded what he called an amazing atmosphere at the tournament on home soil, calling instances when supporters marched with the team to their bus and breaking out in the national anthem during the match fuel for his side.
“It was very loud in the stadium – that just gives you a good feeling,” he said. “That helps us, which is hard to believe because we have such incredibly experienced and successful players but it does something with you. It moves you.”
“It’s our task to let the fans keep dreaming.”
Goals from Jamal Musiala and Ilkay Gundogan gave Germany a comfortable win over Hungary that made the host nation the first side to qualify for the knockout stage.
With two wins out of two, the Germans are guaranteed to be at least among the four best third-placed teams, and they will finish in the top two of the group if Scotland fail to beat Switzerland later on Wednesday.
Nagelsmann had special words for Musiala who has scored in both of Germany´s matches so far, saying he should ignore the pressure and be unafraid to take players on.
The 21-year-old, playing in his hometown, gave the Germans the lead in the 22nd minute after some horrendous Hungarian defending led to the ball being poked into his path by Gundogan, and he hammered the ball in via a defender.
“He should just play like he’s on a small pitch anywhere in Germany or England, it doesn’t matter,” Nagelsmann said according to Reuters.
“He should just play football with his friends. He shouldn’t think about the pressure, he’s just brilliant playing football.”
While few will have bet against the home side, it was in fact Germany’s first competitive win over Hungary since the 1954 World Cup final, and fans will now be dreaming of witnessing a fourth European Championship triumph, and on home soil.
Nagelsmann added that the victory over a tough opponent like Hungary that defended deeply showed the kind of progress his squad has made over the past year.
“There were moments we had to persevere but that’s a process of maturing,” he said. “In October, we wouldn´t have won the match today 2-0.”
“On this level you have to remain stable. They were a very uncomfortable opponent, but we remained stable in most situations. You have to win a match like this first, and we managed to do that.”
