Bayern Munich Alumni: Bastian Schweinsteiger says the German national football team is a “huge question mark”

The German national football team has experienced a resurgence in form ever since former Bayern Munich coach Hansi Flick took over in the wake of Germany’s exit in EURO 2021. Joachim Löw’s final years as head coach of the national team was notable for Germany’s rather lackluster performances, such as getting eliminated in the group stage at the 2018 FIFA World Cup and just about scraping through to the knockouts of the EURO 21 tournament.

Ex-Bayern pro Bastian Schweinsteiger said in an interview with Deutsche Welle that while Germany have improved in recent times, he feels that the team allows their opponents back in the game which usually results in dropped points.

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“For me, there is a big question mark surrounding the Germany team,” Schweinsteiger said. “We are able to beat all the other teams, but too often we are just not consistent. It’s like a wave, 60 minutes of good football and then the last 30 minutes are poor.

“We are struggling against teams who are defending well, like recently Hungary in the Nations League. If you don’t pay attention to transition and counterattacks, you lose control of the game. It could happen again in the first World Cup game against Japan.”

From the 2018 World Cup until EURO 2021, support for the German national team has dwindled, meaning that there’s less hype, resulting in the team being unable to sell out stadiums. Schweinsteiger said that it’s ultimately down to the players if they want to regain the trust of their countrymen.

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“I think it got better recently, especially when Hansi Flick took over from Joachim Löw,” the Bavarian native opined. “It’s always both: How do players present themselves off the pitch, how do you let them shine when it comes to publicity? And then of course, how do they perform? In the end, good football matters, and players who don’t give up so easily. I always admired players who fight. I think that’s what supporters want to see.”