Shortly before the World Cup, Uli Hoeneß was highly critical of national coach Julian Nagelsmann – and criticized above all the lack of consistency in the line-up. For the honorary president of FC Bayern, the lack of consistency is one of the biggest problems of the DFB selection
Hoeneß was particularly bothered by the fact that the national team has not yet found a fixed formation. „The German team has never played with the same eleven twice in a row,“ he explained in an interview with DAZN and emphasized that he had also expressed this criticism personally to Nagelsmann
Hoeneß sees this as a major risk, especially ahead of a tournament like the World Cup, as it is difficult to compete at the highest level without a clear structure and well-coordinated processes
Team spirit as the key to success
In the 74-year-old’s view, the DFB team currently lacks the individual world class to prevail through quality alone. Instead, success must come from the collective
Hoeneß cited FC Bayern under Vincent Kompany as an example of how important a functioning team structure and clear processes are in order to be able to hold your own against top opponents
Hoeneß is particularly critical of the situation with regard to the first World Cup match, fearing that Germany could play with a team that has never played together in this form before
In addition, he misses a clear line in central questions. Who takes on which roles? Who is set? This uncertainty could have a negative effect during the tournament
Criticism goes beyond tactics
Hoeneß did not stop at sporting aspects, however. Nagelsmann’s handling of criticism was also discussed. After a personal exchange, the national coach reacted „slightly offended“
Bayern’s honorary president lacks openness to external assessments, adding that the willingness to listen is a decisive factor, especially in a phase in which fine-tuning is required
Despite his strong words, Hoeneß emphasized that his criticism was not meant to be destructive, but rather to support the success of the national team
Nevertheless, the message is unmistakable: without a clear structure, well-rehearsed processes and more self-reflection, it could be difficult for the DFB team at the World Cup.