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Germany head coach Julian Nagelsmann defended his players following their surprise 2-1 defeat to Ecuador in their final Group E match of the FIFA World Cup 2026, dismissing criticism that his side lacked commitment despite the loss.
Ecuador went into the match after a 1-0 defeat to the Ivory Coast in their opening game and a goalless draw against Curacao in their second fixture. Despite starting the clash against already-qualified Germany as clear underdogs, they produced a strong performance to secure a 2-1 victory. Addressing reporters after the match, Nagelsmann defended the question marks surrounding Germany's commitment during their defeat by Ecuador. "Please stop the nonsense, honestly!" Nagelsmann told reporters, as quoted by FotMob. "Didn't the boys want to go full throttle?" "Of course, we made different changes than we might have done in moments when we urgently needed another goal. But we can't tell any player that he didn't step on the gas, that's far too striking for me," he said. The German coach admitted his team needed to show greater composure after taking an early lead and avoid disrupting their structure during the course of the game. "We have to learn that after a good start and an early lead, we can play with more composure, instead of suddenly switching positions too much. We just need to be more patient and stay a bit more structured in our positions," Nagelsmann said. He also explained that Germany's squad rotation and player fatigue influenced the team's performance, adding that the coaching staff intentionally made several changes while maintaining confidence in the entire squad. "We deliberately made a lot of changes. You could see that we also had a few tired legs. You can't blame anyone for the fact that everything is a little slower and takes longer. We trust every player in the squad, and have to give the players the chance to show that," he added. After Ecuador's memorable victory, President Daniel Noboa thanked the players and coach Sebastian Beccacece for overcoming criticism and difficult moments to bring pride and joy to the nation, and announced a national holiday (on Friday) in celebration of their achievement. "Thanks to the players and the coach who, despite the criticism, the insults, and the tough times they went through, managed to bounce back and bring this immense joy to the entire country. Tomorrow, holiday! Long live Ecuador," he said in the X post. (ANI)
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