Germany coach Hansi Flick
Doha: Germany are one of the most successful teams in FIFA World Cup history with four world titles, four runners-up spots and three third-place finishes. Indeed, only Brazil have a better record at the game’s premier event. Arriving at Russia 2018 as reigning world champions, Germany’s historic elimination, following group-stage defeats to Mexico and Korea Republic, was all the more dramatic.
At Qatar 2022, the team will aim to do better and live up to the high expectations back home. In the lead-up to the World Cup, FIFA spoke to Hansi Flick, who took over from Joachim Low last year, about expectations, lessons learned from his predecessor and the team in general.
Qatar 2022 starts in about a month’s time. What do you think about the composition of the squad during the recent UEFA Nations League? Is it balanced in terms of the players you want to take to the tournament and do you still see open positions in the German game?
We’re keeping everything open in the squad, with some players absolutely at the forefront. Jonas Hoffmann has performed well in the national team, as has Lukas Klostermann at right-back. He played very well against England and also against Italy. David Raum is particularly strong on the left. In left midfield, if you consider all the players, we’re well catered for because we have three or four alternatives there.
In defence, we have solid players to choose between. We’ve also tested several players in the No6 position simply to see what works. In attack, the players have to be in optimal condition. Everyone has a certain routine so that a rhythm can develop.
From 2006 to 2014, you worked alongside Joachim Low as assistant coach and were able to crown your work with the World Cup title in 2014. What were the most important lessons you took away from that time for your current role?
We have always focused on how the team trains and develops. It’s important to bring quality to training, to deliver top performances in training rather than holding back and waiting for the next test match. We now expect intensity from the team. That was also the case during my time at Bayern Munich.
How do you rate Germany’s group opponents?
Spain are the strongest opponent because they have world-class players. They play very variable football and have a new game plan for every match. It will be good to see how they go about certain things. And for us, it’s important to check a few things. Japan’s players are very athletic, fast and confident on the ball. It will be crucial for us to have a strong defence to prevent them from getting into the game. We will approach it positively. And Costa Rica are a team that can play good football. They are somewhat of an unknown opponent, but a team that will make life as difficult as possible for us.
After the disappointment of 2018, do Germany have to prove themselves at this World Cup?
I think they need to do that at every World Cup. We’re always being watched and the expectations in Germany are extremely high. But we’re preparing well and while we can’t guarantee success, we can make sure we are in the best possible shape to face our opponents. And I hope that, in the end, the performance will be different than in 2018.
