Nations League: The German national team must now doubt itself – fortunately

The two defeats against France and Portugal show that the German national football team isn't quite as advanced as it thought it was. That's not necessarily a bad thing.

The German national football team clearly missed its goal in the Nations League . The goal, as a reminder, was to establish the "self-image" of a winning team. The national coach had said that they needed "sustainable winning, even against top teams." Two defeats against top teams later, Julian Nagelsmann isn't the only one who has to ask himself whether he was perhaps taking the second step before the first. In other words, establishing the self-image of a top team before they themselves have even become one.