Ex-captain Gündogan and three Rio heroes will be honored on Monday in Munich. One won’t be there.
Last hurray for three 2014 world champions and the European Championship captain: Before the Nations League duel with the Netherlands, the German Football Association (DFB) will say a sad farewell to Manuel Neuer, Thomas Müller, Toni Kroos and İlkay Gündoğan in Munich on Monday . However, Kroos will not be in the Allianz Arena in person: he will be on the football field with children in his youth academy.
“The overall package of Monday’s game will certainly be very exciting and emotional,” said national coach Julian Nagelsmann. The honor for successes and special achievements in the national jersey should take place before the national anthems. Kick-off is at 8:45 p.m., ZDF will broadcast live.
Together, Neuer, Müller, Kroos and Gündoğan have played 451 international matches. Everyone had ended their international careers after the home European Championship, and Kroos had even hung up his football boots completely.
Long-standing members of the support staff will be honored during the warm-up: team psychologist Hans-Dieter Hermann, physiotherapist Wolfgang Bunz, team manager Thomas Beheshti, TV expert Uli Voigt and adidas employee Christian Staatz. After the game there will also be an internal team celebration in the stadium.
“Then it will be emotional again when we come together as a whole group and honor the achievements of the players, but also the employees,” said Nagelsmann.
With a win against the Netherlands, Germany would no longer be able to take part in the quarter-finals of the Nations League next year.