Can Julian Nagelsmann Revive Germany in Time for EURO 2024?

With just three months to go until the start of the 2024 European Championships, hosts Germany face a race against time to turn their fortunes around if they are to win the event on home soil.

The Germans were one of the favourites to win the competition. But such is the form of Julian Nagelsmann’s team, pessimistic fans may be more worried about the team’s chances of qualifying from Group A, never mind winning the competition.

EURO 2024 betting to win Group A

In Group A betting, Germany is 2/5 to win the group. Behind them, the betting is tight, which suggests that all three of Switzerland (11/2), Hungary (13/2) and Scotland (15/2) could trouble the three-time former winners.

The bookmakers also no longer see Germany as the nation most likely to win the tournament or the most popular football bet. In the latest EURO 2024 betting, Germany is now the third favourite. The hosts were joint favourites to win the competition just over a year ago. They are now third at 6/1, putting them way behind England at 3/1 and France at 4/1.

What has gone wrong for Germany?

The 4-1 home defeat that Germany suffered at the hands of Japan in September 2023 signalled the end of Hansi Flick’s time in charge of the national team. The former Bayern Munich coach was dismissed the following day, making history in the process, as he became the first person to ever be dismissed from the role.

BREAKING: Hansi Flick has been fired, he’s no longer German national team head coach 🚨⚪️🇩🇪

Federation set to discuss internally on new manager as Germany will host Euro 2024 in 9 months.

Rudi Völler will be on the bench as interim coach. pic.twitter.com/rXAXaTdyhO

— Fabrizio Romano (@FabrizioRomano) September 10, 2023

Things had been going wrong for Germany well before that humiliating defeat. They were eliminated from the 2022 FIFA World Cup at the group stages, and at the time Flick lost his job, the team were on a losing streak of three.

Has the team been in decline since 2014?

The problems can be traced back to before Flick took over the role. After winning the 2014 FIFA World Cup, the Germans were eliminated in the group stages in 2018 and 2022. And in the two European Championships since winning the World Cup, they haven’t made it past the last eight.

In 2016, they went out at the quarter-final stage on penalties to Italy. And in the delayed 2020 competition, England eliminated Germany in the Round of 16. A closer look at their performance in the 2020 competition shows they won only one of their four matches played.

Can Julian Nagelsmann turn things around?

Welcome @J__Nagelsmann 🤝

We're delighted to confirm that Julian will lead the national team as Head Coach for next summer's UEFA European Championship in Germany 🖤❤️💛#DFBTeam 📸 DFB pic.twitter.com/KVXsbEEj0H

— germanfootball_dfb (@DFB_Team_EN) September 22, 2023

Truth be told, no nation wants to fire a head coach less than a year before a major tournament, certainly not an established footballing nation like Germany. What makes matters worse is that Germany are the hosts. But instead of looking back, all that Nagelsmann can now do is look forward.

Another former Bayern Munich head coach, Nagelsmann has a free hit. After the recent failures of the national side, he is almost starting from scratch again. There won’t be the usual expectation that comes with Germany entering a major competition.

The players are there. Of that, there is little doubt. Nagelsmann has to try and pull them all in the same direction. If he can restore some pride to the national side, he will have done a good job. Win the competition, and he will go down in history as the man who rescued German football.