SPECIAL INTERVIEW: Germany's Chances & More - Part One

Declan Link & Paul Schmidt-Troschke speak to Martin Heckmann, Marten Mueller
& Janosch Barho about Germany's Chances at the upcoming tournament. 

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Transcript

SPEAKER_01 0:30

This is Bethany from Orlando, Florida, for a Thursday afternoon recording. We're very excited as I'm surrounded by young professional German guys, including PST Paul, who is running the show today. We are going to be speaking about Germany's chances in the upcoming 2026 World Cup from three German guys who I know very well who went to Rollins College in Winter Park, Florida, on a soccer scholarship to play football. One of them in the 90s, one of them in the 2000s, and one of them recently. And we'll get to introduce them in a second. And we're going to talk about Germany's chances, and then we're going to have a second casual laid back chat about how the guys ended up studying and playing football in America and what their experience was like. So listen to this, guys. Guten Tag Jung's Willafter Woche.

SPEAKER_07 1:28

Excellent. Excellent.

SPEAKER_01 1:30

Yeah, my I most of you probably don't know this, but my grandfather on my father's side came from Frankfurt. So grandpa Gustavo from Frankfurt would be very, very proud of that. So there you go, Gustavo. In honor of you. Listen, um, first of all, first we've got Martin with an I, Martin with an E, and Janos. Janos, um, who is gonna be who are on the joining us on the call today. Uh, I'd like Martin uh Heckman to start off with. Just give us a quick bio, a quick overview and of uh you know where you are where you are from originally in Germany, where you are now, what team you support, uh, when you came over to the United States, and um, and obviously any other pertinent information in uh bio/slash elevator pitch.

SPEAKER_07 2:19

Well, let me start off by saying uh I'm deeply honored to be on this uh on this podcast. But thank you for uh for the invite and I appreciate it. And uh I'm also very grateful that you called us young professionals because I think I just crossed the line here in December and turned 50. So thank you for that as well. Um I am uh originally um from the Stuttgart area in the southwest of Germany, born and raised in a little town called Weiblingen in the uh Remsthal, which is you know, call it seven, eight kilometers uh outside of Stuttgart. And uh yeah, been uh been there for lived there, grew up there my entire life, uh moved around a couple of times within a within a relatively small radius in the area, and uh have been uh have been uh grateful or have been blessed to uh spend the first 23 years there of my life and then uh 24 almost actually came over in uh 99 to to play for for Rollins. Um and um a phenomenal experience. I'm I know we're gonna get into that here in a second. And uh being here now in the US actually a little bit more than half of my life. So uh, you know, I figured uh because of that, and I'm also married for 23 years to an American, well almost 23 years to an American uh uh sweetheart uh that that I met uh at uh during my time at Rollins. Um and uh figured because of that I need to finally get my American citizenship. So I took care of that last year, um, finally. So it's uh it's a it's a blessing. I I uh from a supporting standpoint, Dek uh and uh Paul and the team, yeah. I I you know I'm a deep Stuttgart fan, uh, have been my empire life, but I have to be quite honest that over the years life gets in the way and I don't keep up too much with the uh Bundesliga anymore. So typically during the uh weekly conversations and chats with my dad, he keeps me up to date on what's happening in the area and so forth. So uh, you know, it's funny, you know, he will mention occasionally a name of a player, and I'm just like, okay, never heard of the guy, but yeah, sounds good, you know. So it's uh it's it's uh there's a little definitely a little bit of distance uh that has occurred over the years uh to still sort of stay connected on a more deeper level. But uh I I can promise you that every four years during the World Cup, uh there I'm gonna tune in, and there's nothing else in this household that's running but soccer. And uh so I'm I'm you know I'm super excited about the World Cup this year and uh looking forward to to uh having a great tournament here in the States and uh in Canada and Mexico as well.

SPEAKER_01 5:00

Brilliant. Thank you so much, uh Martin, for your time this afternoon. Sorry I missed you at uh Alumni Weekend a few weeks a few weeks ago. Obviously, I was out of the country at the time, but it sounded as though you had a good time, and everyone else at the Alumni Weekend had a super time. So, talking of Martins, there's not enough Martins in this world. Our second guest this afternoon is Martin Mueller. Martin, tell us about yourself.

SPEAKER_02 5:22

Thanks for having us, Declan, and thank you, World Cup etc. team, for dedicating an entire episode uh to Germany's chances and to our international uh paths. Uh my name is Martin Mueller. I grew up in Berlin and I studied at Rawlins from 2011 to 2015. I live in Fort Lauderdale now. Uh I work in capital markets at AutoNation. I'm a Bayern Munich and Hertz-Berlin supporter, and uh I think Germany has a tough road ahead in the upcoming World Cup.

SPEAKER_01 5:53

Wonderful. Thanks, Martin. It was good seeing you at our house the other day. Thirdly and last but not least, we have uh most most recent um Rollins uh recent German graduate. That's Janosch Baho. Janos, how are you this evening? I know you're in Germany, so you're up quite late tonight.

SPEAKER_04 6:13

Well, fair enough. Um it's it's uh 10:30 uh p.m. uh right here at the moment, so still everything fine. I'm actually just coming back from practice. Um so so all good. Uh Adrenalin's still up, so um no worries about that. Um yeah, you can just follow up on my um or succeed on uh on on my two other fellow Germans uh before me. Thanks for having us, uh, first of all. Um I'm Janos, um, like you said, uh the only one yeah, up uh up at night here, uh, which probably says that I'm yeah, the only one uh of us three, so to say, who's back in back in Germany. Um at the moment, I'm in Munich right now. Um that's that's where I'm living. Um that's not where I'm from originally, though. Um from the very north, actually, um close to uh Kiel, which is probably a city that outside of Germany nobody has ever heard of. Fair enough. Um, it's the most northern state. Um, most people probably have heard of Hamburg uh internationally. Um that's kind of like the area, um, a little bit even even further out, further north. Um, that's where I grew up. Um played uh football or soccer um basically since since I was able to walk um yeah um all day, all week. Uh and uh like you said, uh yeah, made it to Rollins. Um I guess we're gonna talk about the details later. Uh a couple years ago in 2021, actually, um for for two and a half years, made my masters there um and was working afterwards, and yeah, back uh in Munich now where I'm working in uh yeah, I guess the sports journalism field, so to say. Um, I'm actually working for uh yeah media agency back here in Munich. Um yeah, uh hosting actually uh our own YouTube show as well, football show. So I guess the bar is set uh pretty high today, uh especially for me, I guess. But uh yeah, uh lovely to oh, thanks for having us and uh looking forward to to talk about Germany and the chances, of course.

SPEAKER_01 8:11

Really, thank you, Janusz, as well, and uh lovely to see your roommate Maxi, one of the best Rollins goalkeepers in the history of Rollins men's soccer programme.

SPEAKER_04 8:20

Yep, he's gonna underline that.

SPEAKER_01 8:22

And I and I and I'm not just saying that I believe that Maxi was definitely one of the best Rollins keepers we've ever had. Um so anyway, let's jump into the first topic, which is Germ your expectations for Germany this summer. Uh going into the tournament, and and please feel free to bat it around and you jump in as well, Paul, whenever appropriate. Going into the tournament, what are your honest expectations for Germany? Are they contenders? Are they outsiders? Are they hiding behind a rebuilding statement? And does it feel like the squad is a proper Germany team again, or are they still a work in progress post-2018 and 2022?

SPEAKER_02 8:59

All right, okay. Uh maybe I'll start off. Um so I I I think Germany is on a good good path. I think the 2024 Euros were a big step forward with uh infamous. I think it was a quarter final against Spain and a Cucurella handball that wasn't given. Um quality for this World Cup was was decent, but but not um, you know, not outstanding, I would say. You know, you played Luxembourg and Northern Ireland. Um, I did like the the more recent games, the the Switzerland-friendly comes to mind um that showed the promise. Um, and so for the World Cup, I think the group stage is very doable, although um Ecuador and Ivory Coast are not easy um uh opponents, so to speak. Um and then you go into the last one of 32, which should be against the third ranked team from all the groups, so that should be an easier draw. Uh, but then in the um in the last 16, uh you could face France. And to me, France is the uh the top team for this World Cup to beat. Um, you know, if you beat France, you may go against Spain or Argentina or Colombia in a semifinal. So I think it's a really tough uh tough draw. But if if they can beat France, um there's an there's a good chance.

SPEAKER_04 10:18

Yeah, I think basically what what what you said, if I can like take on on that, um I think it is it's gonna be important how much of a team or how much of of like one unit this team um will develop over the tournament. Um as you were mentioned, Declan, obviously 2018 and uh 2022 um didn't make it out of the group stage, and I think uh obviously a major fact for that was not the lack of quality, which I think undoubtedly like every Germany team had in the last tournaments. But I think the biggest problem was that the team didn't act as a team on the field, had several reasons, um, lots of like media stuff and rah-rah in front of the or beginning of the tournament, which obviously like led the focus to something else. But like, long story short, I think that's gonna be the key point um in this World Cup. Like, how much can this relatively young group with a lot of like inexperienced uh young guys like Wirz Mujala, obviously, like quality is there, I think no doubt about that. But how much can can this team act as a team on and off the pitch? And like you said, I think the the Euros uh 2024 and the the well the qualifier games, except for the Slovakia game, maybe, um, but especially the one against Switzerland were um yeah um signs that the team's on a good way um and hopefully can can do the next step at the at the World Cup.

SPEAKER_07 11:49

Yeah, maybe maybe just to build on on the um discussion, uh maybe I'll take a little bit of a more historic view into Germany and and and World Cup history, and maybe we'll start with the first title in 54, you know, the miracle of Bern, where Germany was a big underdog and they've they secured the title. Now, this has been uh frankly a very long time ago, right? But uh I think Germany has always been known as a tournament team, like in Germany, say Turniermannschaft, you know. I think that's a that's a valid uh thing that has, I think, proven over the years, with the exception maybe of the last couple times. And uh 100% uh very young team. I think uh, you know, during the during uh the best times that Germany had in you know, even 2014, where we had a lot of senior players on the field, right, with Schweinsteiger, Neuer, you know, all those guys, Philip Lamm was still there. Uh, you know, we we lacked that that I think that light wolf, how we say it in Germany, right? That uh they're still a fairly young team. Um, but from a quality standpoint, I have absolutely no doubt. And I think, you know, when I think about the probability and the things you hear, you know, now everything is quantified in data and this and that to be about 7%. You know, I would think I would think the odds of Germany being a contender are probably a little higher than that, um, based based on the historic performances that we've put forth. And I think uh in the World Cup, it's I remember very vividly the game in 2014 uh when I was back home in Germany to uh compete in the Iron Man European Championships. I remember the Brazil game uh you know very vividly when when it was 4-0, you know, you could you could you know hear hear hear hear a pin drop. People were absolutely in disbelief of what happened. Um so I think do we have that quality? Maybe not, right? But I think the point is it's a World Cup. And you know, once you get past the group stage, which I have absolutely no doubt Germany will make it past the group stage, it every game becomes sort of like a mini-final, right? And you know, whoever you're gonna meet, uh uh, you know, if it's an underdog, if it's you know France or or Spain, you'll have to beat him in the end of the day. And I have no doubt Germany has the capacity to do that. I would think that uh they're definitely not the number one or number two or number three contender, but I think they have always a shot to to make it all the way through.

SPEAKER_06 14:20

Yes, absolutely. Um very, very interesting points you raised there. Um, I would like to add something, and um also I'm also interested in your opinion on that. If you think about the 2014 squad, it basically took six, more like eight years to build this team to the stage, and also after that it broke down pretty quickly. I mean, if you get older, you you you don't uh bring that quality uh or you lose quality, right? And and condition and everything. Um, and I think that is uh that has not happened over the last years. But I think that with Julian Nagelsmann, you have somebody who has a very clear plan. Maybe, I mean, you could argue that it's he's like too strict with his plan, but at least he's very confident in it. And um, if the uh DFB will give him the space, I definitely can see him develop a a squad which uh is comparable to the 2014 squad. Um but I mean we're gonna speak about uh him or his persona later on. And uh and another point I think is that after 2014 or even before 2014, the issue of uh the generational change was not dealt with um in an adequate way. And uh yeah, only since Julian Nagelsmann came in um he he started to to build on that again to to build a build a team with a with a multi-year vision, basically.

SPEAKER_01 15:49

None of you are particularly worried about Kuracell here. No, don't no one mentioned them in the group stages, so I'm assuming that's a safe win for Germany.

SPEAKER_04 16:00

I mean it has to. Um I think like I to be honest, of course, like last uh two tournaments, you or like we've been out pretty early, but still has to be the standard, of course, uh to to beat Curaçao on a on a decent level, and don't no death disrespect against them, of course. Um actually got some some good players playing uh here in in Europe as well. Most of them are Dutch, uh I think, but um yeah, there should be um um we we we call it Kanonenfutter here in in Germany basically. So an easy one to start with.

SPEAKER_01 16:36

Yeah, it's it's quite amazing, really, if you think about Germany being the world champions uh in 2014 in Brazil and then the following two World Cups in 2018 and 2022, they both uh exited the tournament in the group stages. And as Mark 10 with an E said, it seems like it uh the team has turned the corner because my youngest son Jack and I were very, very fortunate to be in Stuttgart at the Germany-Spain game when they got knocked out by Spain, but Spain were a very, very good team then, so uh it definitely seems as though their trajectory is definitely heading very much in uh the right direction after uh two cycles of very poor tournaments on the back of winning the tournaments. So, but that's as we all know, that's football for you. Um let me throw out another question. Um, what how would you classify Germany's current identity? Uh are they procession heavy? Are they a pressing team? Are they something else? And have they uh solved the balance between sort of control and directness um and against teams, should Germany dominate the ball or should they play more pragmatically? Uh I packed a lot into that there, so you can all give us your thoughts on those questions.

SPEAKER_07 17:52

Yeah, maybe we'll go in reverse. Uh you saw again, right? I I uh I think you know, under Nagelsmann, and I think Paul alluded to that, I think uh it this guy seems to have a really good plan, right? I think he's uh he's a tactical expert. I think he's he's extremely well prepared, you know, when he when he uh looks at his opponents and how he wants to uh you know set up the pitch and and you know get the teams lined up. I think they have a definitely a more aggressive style, which is I think a good thing. Uh, but at the same time, it feels to me that also defensively they they they've uh they've built out a little bit more capabilities over over the last several years as they were rebuilding, which I think was a bit of an issue from what I remember during the certainly during the last World Cup. And uh so I think um I think I don't know if it's specific enough, uh Dak for your questions, but I feel uh I feel like uh they've they've always been um I think uh because of maybe the reputation, more a possessive team, right? But I think it depends really on the opponent and you're playing. I think if they can, you know, if they can bundle their strength around their offensive uh capabilities with some of the top top players they have in the in the offensive line, um, you know, they they should be able to uh take advantage of good uh what we say uh konto spiel in German, right? To to really take advantage of some of the situations, um, to unleash some of their speed and some of their technical uh capabilities up front and take advantage, you know, against maybe uh uh you know a strong component such as such as France or Spain.

SPEAKER_04 19:30

Yeah, that's it's it's a good point, what you said. Um I I would probably call it like momentum-based uh play that is Germany um doing at the moment. Like obviously, we're always taking that 2014 example as as like a great or positive example. I think the the approach definitely there was very procession-oriented. Obviously, you had players like like Tony Koos, uh, Mesur Uzil, who were absolutely at their prime um back then, and and yeah, kind of like had that vision, had that idea, had that eye for that pass that nobody or or just very few other players uh are seeing. Um right now I think the the Germany squad is kind of lacking that player type a little bit. Obviously, you've got Kimmy as like an emotional leader in the midfield. Um, you've got Garetzka, Pavlovich, like midfield defensive powerhouses, but you don't really have that like that top-notch player in the midfield who's who's doing things that nobody else does. Obviously, you've got like Muziala and Wirtz a little bit further up, um, who can be that like one-on-one players um that that yeah can can decide um a tight game, tight match. Um but I think Germany's game like switched a little bit to like that momentum um play. So there will be phases in the game where you like drop in a little bit more and then do the exact the counter play that you just mentioned, Martin. But of course, there also will be phases as well where you do the processional game and and try to create chances out of that. So I think you've seen it well against the or in the Switzerland game, which was like 4-3, I think, in the end. And it can go like both ends, of course. Um, but yeah, so I I guess it's a good thing. Like you don't really know what you're getting. It's not that like classic typical German processional and and German um German value game, basically, which which you were expecting like back in the day. But um, so yeah, it's a little bit of a surprise, probably, what we can what we can expect for Germany.

SPEAKER_02 21:34

I think the only thing I would add to that is uh uh I kind of I kind of like the diversity that this this team has, right? So you know it's very attacking oriented, right? But you know, if you play with Harborts on top, you're almost playing a false nine, and that you know leads to more dominant possession because he will drop into midfield. Um but you also have a Voltemarder or an Undav that are more the the classic. Uh poachers, strikers, the wall players. Um so depending on who you play, you actually have more options than maybe we've had in in the last you know five, six years.

SPEAKER_01 22:11

How is your confidence level in Nagelsmann? Do you all feel confident that he can lead the German national team deep into the tournament, potentially hold the trophy at the end of it?

SPEAKER_02 22:21

I think so. I think he's uh he's an excellent coach, um, you know, not just for the short term but also longer vision, but specific to you know this tournament and this idea that that the other Martin mentioned earlier of uh Germany has always been a tournament team. Uh I think if you create that bond and the preparation for it, uh he he is probably the best choice right now.

SPEAKER_04 22:43

Yeah. Um can only support that. Um, I think what you definitely have to give him is that he kind of like brought the hype um back to the national team here in Germany as well. Um if you look back beginning of the Euros or like a year before the Euros, we were losing against Turkey and against Austria in in friendly matches. And I think like the the hype um with for the national team was at an actual like absolute like freezing point back then. But he kind of like kind of brought the fire back in, brought the the enthusiasm in, uh brought the fans back in. And uh yeah, of course, we talked about the Euros. We're we're unfortunate with this game against Spain, but like from then on, like he developed the the team pretty much as well. Only thing I'm a little bit concerned is that he might be a little too entrenched in his uh ideas. Um, we kind of have this situation going on with Dennis Undorf here at the moment, who's yeah, arguably the best German striker at the moment. Martin, you can back me up as a Stuttgart supporter there, I guess. Um, but like he he doesn't really seem to like him, which is fair because I think Nagetsman has his idea how he wants to play up top with Harvard or with Waltemarte, but obviously at some point, like you have to be a little bit flexible. But yeah, hopefully he's um yeah, softened that up a little.

SPEAKER_07 24:08

Yeah, I'll go back to I think it feels like to me he's he's uh he's got a plan, he's a bit of a uh academic, but I think he's he's he's definitely uh you know reading the he's in the data, he's in the making sure he's doing his research, you know, he's definitely not not an emotional guy. I feel like uh when he when he gets the team ready and uh he's he he's he's not uh you know being the dandet guy, right? So he's that's the only piece maybe from an experience standpoint. Um obviously he's he's coached some great teams, but uh again on the international world cup stage, that's that's a new uh sort of experience for him. So I think we'll we'll see how that goes. But I think uh he's got the right material on his squad to to make it work. So if he if he can get the necessary alignment uh you know between between the leaders on the team, uh I have no doubt that uh they can go very far.

SPEAKER_06 25:07

Um I I would uh um raise the question what is uh what is the biggest weak point for you in in the German team currently? Because I think the the the match against uh Switzerland was uh yeah kind of emblematic. Uh that for me personally, it's definitely the the defense. Um, but uh maybe we start with you, Jana uh Janosh. What what do you what do you think?

SPEAKER_04 25:33

Well the the defense is obviously like as you just see it on the paper, like three goals against Switzerland, um couple of like easy chances against uh I think the game against Ghana afterwards. Uh so yeah, I I I partially agree with you on that. On the other hand, I mean if you see who's playing in our back four basically, well, we got the the goalkeeper question uh uh with Manuel Neuer on the side, of course, but even Oliver Baumann is is is doing a fantastic job, so um no doubt about him. And you got like Tar Schlotterbeck and and maybe Rüdiger as as our center backs who are playing for for Real Madrid by Munich and um still Dortmund. Let's see where he's going in the summer with with Schlotterbeck respectively. So all top class defenders, um also with David Raum um and and Joe Kimmich as as fullbacks. So I I guess like the the the fine adjustments adjustments are still missing there, probably, um, which I'm very optimistic to be to be honest that they can like figure that out in the um yeah in in in the preseason, so to say, for the for the World Cup. Um but yeah, that is probably on on paper, and if you look at the stats, probably the the the biggest weakness, um what you said.

SPEAKER_01 26:52

On on the back of that, guys, uh of the established squad, two-part question. Who is the most important player to increase the chances of Germany winning the World Cup this summer? And secondly, is there a breakout player that you could sort of point your finger at who no one really knows about at the moment, who could come out of nowhere, who could actually become a star or a consistent performer for the German national team in this World Cup?

SPEAKER_02 27:21

For me, Kimmich is the uh the absolute leader of this team, and he's almost kind of a captain playmaker playing in a right back position, which we we've seen, you know, Liverpool Pool do really well with with um Alexander Arnold at some point. You see Man City did it, right? And so I think that's a a very important position for them. Um and the the the breakout underdog, so to speak, to me is actually uh Leonard Carl. If he does get the opportunity to get game time, I think the way that he integrated into the Bayern Munich squad this uh this season and the performances that he's shown both nationally and in the Champions League are very promising.

SPEAKER_04 28:03

Um I'm picking two different ones, just uh just to not copy your your call, which is a very far call, of course. Um I'm going with uh most important player. Um yeah, a little bit backing up what I just said, um, gonna be Nico Schlotterbeck for me. Um kind of like as the defensive anchor, um, together with most likely Jonathan in the center back duo. Um I think it's gonna be like depending on like what kind of tournament they are playing. Um we were talking about that defensive weakness um a minute or two ago. So depending on on how they perform, I think um, because Germany is always gonna be able to score goals, like with those players up top that we mentioned, there is always like in every game against every opponent, you will be able to create chances and score goals. But it in my opinion depends on how yeah, how how safe you're gonna get, or you can keep your own goal, and I think it's gonna be an important role for those two. And kind of like uh hidden star or breakthrough star for me is gonna be Alex Pavlovich. Um playing for Bayern, played an amazing season so far, um, still chasing the triple with with Bayern, um, doing solid performances for the national team as well. It's been a bit unlucky at the last tournaments, uh, been out with uh illnesses and injuries, um, but hopefully he's gonna stay fit um for for this World Cup and then um most likely gonna be a set player on in the center mid position as as Kimmich is dropping to fullback. And uh yeah, I'm very very excited to see what he's been doing or what he will be doing.

SPEAKER_07 29:38

Yeah, I think I I agree that that Kimmich is is is probably the the light wolf, so to say, and I think if if he shows up then it can have uh you know exponential impact, I think, on the performance. You know, there's probably uh probably Wilts and How Weltz to some extent. I I think you know if they're if if they can uh show a consistent uh maybe Rudigo as well. Uh some some of the guys who've been who've been there uh a little longer and uh have prune themselves. Uh so I think if if if that can happen that that will be that will be uh that will show uh you know definitely some impact uh for Germany to have better chances to move through.

SPEAKER_01 30:18

Yeah, I sort of think I saw today sad news that um Serge Gabnick Gunabry is out of the uh World Cup. Is that confirmed? Have you guys seen that?

SPEAKER_04 30:27

That is confirmed, yes. Uh ridiculous.

SPEAKER_01 30:32

All these there's quite a few players who risk their World Cups by getting injured at the end of the season, and and all these top teams in Europe are just being absolutely flogged right now. They're just playing far too many games.

SPEAKER_04 30:43

Yeah, different topic. Um completely on your side there, Dekmando. Um just yeah, just too much at this point. Um, just in today, I think that Lamin Yamal um is also out for the season. I think the World Cup is not in danger, but I'm completely on your side there. Um just in a quick note for Serge Gnarby. I think he's playing one of the best seasons um for Bayern Munich um on sheet, like if you look at the data, but also just as an eye test. Um had the had the privilege to be in the stadium a couple times this season and watch him play. Um probably the most underrated player um in this Bayern Munich squad this season, with uh yeah, with all the huge names there, with with Elise uh Diaz and of course Kane up top. Um yeah, amazing uh player. Um not the fastest, not the strongest finish, um, not this amazing eye that he has, but he's just bringing the whole package. Um yeah, very unfortunate for him. Would have loved to see him, and um, yeah, would have been a big big help up front.

SPEAKER_01 31:46

Yes, can I ask you? Well, were you a Bayern Munich fan before you moved to Munich? Because it seems like you're in love with you're in love with him right now.

SPEAKER_04 31:54

I didn't mention that in my introduction, you're right. Um I I can't deny that. Um first first jersey that I received uh was uh Roy Mackay, Bayern Munich, I think uh 2003, 2004 season, um, which I which I got for my parents. Um uh back in the day, my my dad had let's say some physical um similarities to to Prime Roy Mackay, so uh I guess maybe that's where the connection is coming from. Um yeah, so Bayern Munich supporter, but of course, uh since I'm I'm from Kiel, um also I'm always keeping up the flag high for them. Played their first Bundesliga season last year, so supporting both, I guess.

SPEAKER_01 32:36

Yeah, I've always had a soft spot for uh Bayern Munich because my uh back in 2001, and this is a completely different issue, when we went to Germany with Rollins, and none of you guys had the benefit of going on any of these international trips. Uh I my wife was pregnant with my middle son Tommy uh Tommy Link and there was a a central I think he was a central defender uh called Thomas Linka who used to play for Bayern at the time. So I remember getting Tommy a Thomas Linka shirt, and I'd always and and then when I was coaching uh the the my kids, they that Bayern Munich had a connection with the uh club that I was coaching at, so they actually flew me over to uh Bayern for about five days, and I had a fantastic experience at the training ground. We got the Bundesliga game, uh and that was just after the training, the new facility had opened up, and then on the last day we went over to where the first team trained, and I don't know if it's changed, but it was absolutely fantastic. So I've always had a little soft uh spot for by Munich as well. Okay, guys, we're at that point of our discussion now for predictions. Can you all give me a bold prediction about Germany at the World Cup this summer and what you think is gonna happen? Please pull out your crystal balls.

SPEAKER_04 33:55

Tough call, tough question.

SPEAKER_07 33:56

How much detail do you want on this question, Deck? Or can we just say, of course, they're gonna be the winner of the World Cup 2026?

SPEAKER_01 34:04

A little bit of detail. You've got to make the business case to back it up. How about that?

SPEAKER_07 34:08

Well, I think I think I'll stick to to my guns. You know, I think uh they're gonna walk through their group stage. Uh I think uh, you know, they're gonna uh have some tough um some tough opponents coming up. I think we heard about uh friends in Spain um potentially. Um and you know, I think uh you know it's sad, but I I don't actually have the exact roster in front of me. I should have probably prepared that for the uh for the call. Um, you know, but uh yeah, I think uh I think we'll see them uh we'll see them in the final lineup in uh in New Jersey. I like that.

SPEAKER_04 34:46

Love the optimism. No, I'm I'm I'm totally on your side, Martin. Um yeah, we talked about the tough schedule, probably. However, though, I mean with 48 teams, there definitely will be some surprises, probably also already in the group stage. Um with you though, it probably or it must be in a walkthrough in the group. Um yeah, and then if France is coming early in the tournament, uh that's probably the yeah, the time to show for them that they are a good good group, a good team that has been developing since the Euros in 2024. Um, it was close against Spain. Um, I assume it will be close against France as well. Um, so yeah, and I I don't see them not winning uh in this game and afterwards um if it even comes to that, but afterwards everything is possible. Um prediction they gonna make up for the last uh two failed World Cups, and they will get the maximum amount of games, let's say it like that. So they will be in the semifinals, and from then it's uh game day uh game day feeling. Um whoever whoever feels it more can win it.

SPEAKER_01 36:02

Paul Konstantin Schmidt Klotskka, what are your thoughts?

SPEAKER_06 36:06

Um yeah, of course, uh I uh I mean the group stage uh uh w has to be a domination, otherwise uh it's uh I think the um the games afterwards are very bleak because I think one of the most important issues, I mean that that's a very well-known thing, but it's of course confidence. And uh this team did have, of course, the the qualification to gain some of that confidence. But um, yeah, going back to the last two friendlies, I think that a 2-1 win against Ghana and a 3-a 4-3 against uh against Switzerland um is is not enough. Uh because if you play against Switzerland um and they are able to exploit the weaknesses in the German defense three times, if you play against France or a Spanish team, this is exactly where where they catch you. You can you can be you can have the best defense in the world, but they will create so many chances to uh yeah to go or to be able to surpass a weak defense. Um that is that is my biggest uh the point where I'm biggest uh my biggest concern, let's say. Um but I think that uh yeah, if we look into uh or on the continuation of past performances, especially in the last tournament two years ago, um I have high hopes. I have very high hopes. I think that uh many people underestimate Germany and underestimate also the the skill and uh yeah professionality of Julian Nagelsmann to um to form a very coherent team with a coherent strategy. Um and I think uh I'm not gonna make a prediction that we're gonna end up in the final, but I definitely say we have very decent chances to beat both France and Spain, as they are also not at their uh at their top performance right now.

SPEAKER_01 37:55

Great, and last but least, Martin Müller.

SPEAKER_06 37:58

Uh Janus raised the raised the point.

SPEAKER_01 38:00

Okay, so Cronia.

SPEAKER_04 38:01

I I just wanted to add something for uh for the group stage, but I don't know, Martin, if if um if you're ready, uh shoot your shoot your prediction. Otherwise, I just wanted to add like because we've just been talking about this group stage kind of like as a walkthrough, and we're just mentioning Curaçao, which obviously at like 99 out of 100 days should be a walkthrough. Um you still got like Ivory Coast and Ecuador, two like very solid, very yeah, difficult opponents, or can be difficult opponents as well. And um, if we were looking at at like uh tournaments before, also at the 2014 World Cup, there were games where Germany had some problems with uh a 2-2 draw against Ghana, for instance, um, or of course the Mexico or South Korea games in the World Cups 2018 and 22. I kind of expect like those tricky games coming up at this World Cup as well, with all the external conditions, weather, etc. Um, but I think it's gonna be important how the team reacts to that. Like in 2014, the team kind of like reacted stronger and came back stronger afterwards. And if they can kind of copy copy this as well, then everything's possible.

SPEAKER_01 39:13

Fantastic. I think Martin's on. Martin, what's your prediction?

SPEAKER_02 39:17

I'm on, thank you. Um so I mean I I I think Germany will make it to the uh round of 16, I think, against probably France. If they do hit France, I think that France will uh will win that game. Um obviously there's always a chance with the tournament team and and you know the day form is is so important. Uh but I think that to me France's squad is just on a different level right now compared to any other uh top top national team. Uh so I would say um yeah, last 16.

SPEAKER_01 39:51

I do hope for my adopted country who I've lived here for 41 years, that in Germany's final two games before the World Cup, they play Finland and then they play USA, the host nation. The USA, we've spoken about them, they've sort of set themselves up with four really tough games. And the last the last game is against Germany. So let's let Germany go easy on the USA, because I don't have high hopes of the USA doing very well in the tournament this year, sadly. Um guys, that was fantastic, and then obviously we will uh all catch up sometime in the not too distant future, and good luck to Germany in the World Cup this summer.

SPEAKER_06 40:28

Thank you. Thank you very much, Eric and Paul. So that's it from us for today.

SPEAKER_01 40:33

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SPEAKER_00 40:52

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SPEAKER_05 40:58

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