For the fifth consecutive match, Germany hasn't won, with the humiliation against Japan being the next blow for the four-time world champion. It's alert level 1, and coach Hansi Flick is well aware of it.
Germany, as the host of Euro 2024, is already guaranteed a spot and primarily plays friendly matches. The last one that resulted in a win was against Peru on March 25th. Since then, they faltered against Belgium (2-3), Poland (0-1), Colombia (0-2), and now Japan (1-4), while the friendly match with Ukraine ended in a 3-3 draw.
Flick wants to continue as the national team coach despite this downturn. 'I know that football can be dynamic,' he said on RTL after the match. In other words, things can change quickly in football. 'I can't predict the future, but we're trying to prepare our team optimally. All I can say is that I believe I'm the right coach for this team.'
However, this team was indeed handed a harsh defeat. Flick said, 'At the moment, we don't have the means to create chances against such a compact defense. It's clear that we are not in the right condition to beat a team like this. They play according to basic principles but do it very well. I think we need to wake up in German football and work on certain things.'
Germany hasn't done itself any favors with the fixture list in this difficult situation. The next friendly opponent is none other than World Cup finalist France. In October, there are friendly matches scheduled against the United States and Mexico, with a match against Austria also on the agenda.
