Nagelsmann saw his team suffer another defeat.
Image: dpa
Controversial scene: Rabiot and Füllkrug in a duel.
Image: dpa
Referee Ivan Kruzliak was at the center of two controversial scenes.
Image: KEYSTONE
Nagelsmann saw his team suffer another defeat.
Image: dpa
Controversial scene: Rabiot and Füllkrug in a duel.
Image: dpa
Referee Ivan Kruzliak was at the center of two controversial scenes.
Image: KEYSTONE
Germany lose the match for third place in the Nations League. German coach Nagelsmann is particularly annoyed by an intervention by the video assistant referee.
08.06.2025, 18:54
08.06.2025, 19:00
dpa
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- Germany end their first Final Four in the Nations League without a win. At their home tournament, the Germans also lose the match for third place against France 0:2.
- The scapegoat is quickly found after Sunday's defeat. After the game, national coach Julian Nagelsmann harshly criticized referee Ivan Kruzliak and the VAR.
- Kruzliak ruled against the Germans in two controversial scenes after watching the scenes again on the monitor. "That's not the point of the VAR," said Nagelsmann.
Germany coach Julian Nagelsmann was upset by the behavior of referee Ivan Kruzliak after the Nations League match against France. "It's a breach of the rules by the referee. He stands two meters away and judges the scene as not a foul. Then he goes out and watches six minutes of video. That's missing the point," raged Nagelsmann after the 2-0 defeat in the match for third place.
Nagelsmann was talking about a duel between Niclas Füllkrug and Frenchman Adrien Rabiot. Striker Deniz Undav then scored to make it 1:1, but the Slovakian referee took the goal back after viewing the video footage. "That's not what the VAR is for. He stands 2.30 meters away from the situation, he has a great view. It's not a clear wrong decision," said Nagelsmann.
Nagelsmann: I feel sorry for the referee
He feels sorry for the referee in such situations, said Nagelsmann about the controversial scene after half-time. Superstar Kylian Mbappé (45 minutes) and Bayern's Michael Olise (84 minutes) made sure of the decision with their goals. After a strong first half, Germany had goalkeeper Marc-André ter Stegen to thank for not conceding more goals in front of 51,313 spectators.
On Wednesday, the DFB team had lost their semi-final in Munich 2-1 to Portugal. It was the first time that Germany had qualified for the Final Four at the fourth edition of the tournament. France had already won the title in 2020/21 and failed this time with a spectacular 4:5 against Spain in the semi-finals.
