World Cup 2026: Julian Nagelsmann faces pressure as Germany bow out
Immediately after the game, Nagelsmann was asked repeatedly about his future and said he was “not one to run away” but admitted he would not be popular with German fans.
“If we were to do a poll in Germany today, people would obviously not talk positively about me,” he added. “I felt the support in the stadium. I don’t think everyone in Germany would agree that I should stay with the team and continue as coach.
“I would like to congratulate all the German fans who came to the stadium. I expected a completely different reaction from them, but it was surprising and impressive that they supported us even after the defeat.
“I will not step back just because we were eliminated. If the DFB [German football association] If you want me to continue, I will continue. I know how the industry works and now many people want me to leave. “I would like to continue if the German Football Federation wants.”
Even before the match against Paraguay, Nagelsmann was coming under criticism from German television, with Klopp unhappy with his performance against Ecuador: “We chose the wrong methods on this pitch; we played the wrong type of football against an aggressive opponent.”
But these lessons were not learned against a physical, tenacious and determined Paraguay team that frustrated Germany by defending them in numbers and depth.
Paraguay will play either France or Sweden in the last 16 on Saturday, while Germany will have to deal with another early exit.
“If I want to be cynical and sarcastic, the only thing we won would be the right to be completely destroyed by France,” German football journalist Raphael Honigstein said on BBC Radio 5 Live.
“You can get knocked out, but you can’t knock Paraguay out like that at this stage. That’s why it won’t be a defeat without repercussions and consequences.
“If you look at the whole tournament, it wasn’t enough. Germany was poor.
“Julian Nagelsmann has had too many important calls. It will be very difficult for him to get over this. I think it will all be over for him, I’m afraid.”
