National team
18 years after “Poldi” and “Schweini”: European Championship show with “Wusiala”
Jamal Musiala (l) and Florian Wirtz at the DFB press conference in Herzogenaurach. Photo
© Christian Charisius/dpa
In 2006, Podolski and Schweinsteiger were the summer fairytale favorites. At the home European Championships, a new young star duo is coming into focus. How influential will Musiala and Wirtz be? One unlucky guy is already out.
Jamal Musiala completed the warm-up exercises at the penultimate training session before the big opening game with his special Bayern buddy Leroy Sané. Meanwhile, Florian Wirtz passed the ball to Nico Schlotterbeck.
But at the latest when the European Championship kicks off on Friday (9 p.m.), Musiala and Wirtz are expected to work together on the pitch at the Munich Arena so that hosts Germany can celebrate the dream start they have hoped for against Scotland. The tournament is also set to be all about “Wusiala.” This word combination of Wirtz and Musiala is already circulating in fan forums.
18 years after the World Cup summer fairytale with “Poldi” and “Schweini”, Jamal and Flo have been chosen to play a leading role in the European Championship as the new young star duo. Even if they are completely different types to the lovable jokers Lukas Podolski and Bastian Schweinsteiger in 2006. They were also 21 years old back then.
Pavlovic misses European Championship – Nagelsmann signs Can
On Wednesday, Julian Nagelsmann gave his “magicians” in the team the big stage. On the DFB podium in Herzogenaurach, however, Musiala and Wirtz did not put on an extroverted press conference show à la “Schweini” and “Poldi”. Rather, they presented themselves in a reserved, polite and modest manner, preferring to be quiet rather than loud. “We don’t want to be the new two young Podolski and Schweinsteiger,” said Wirtz. Even if they are “of course idols from the past” – and a comparison is very honorable. They would also like to win a title with the national team, like the two world champions from 2014.
Musiala and Wirtz have a chance at the European Championships – but another young star in the DFB squad no longer does. For Aleksandar Pavlovic (20), the tournament is over before the first kick-off because of an infection. “That’s a real shame for Pavlo,” commented Bayern colleague Musiala. National coach Julian Nagelsmann reacted to the youngest player in the squad’s bad luck by nominating Dortmund’s Emre Can (30) – and not Bayern professional Leon Goretzka. “We want another number six in the squad,” Nagelsmann said of Can.
Wirtz and Musiala still lack effectiveness
Against Scotland, the BVB captain can now watch from the bench instead of from the couch at home how Musiala and Wirtz do their job on the pitch. Goals, assists, dribbling, one-twos – they are responsible for the wow effect in the offensive game. “We are primarily responsible for scoring goals and winning games,” said Wirtz. To do this, both have to improve their effectiveness: Musiala (29 international matches, 2 goals) and Wirtz (18/1) can clearly improve this in the DFB jersey. Musiala put it this way on Wednesday. Despite all the wit, it is also about “not dying beautifully.”
As footballers they are similar. “Flo has the same ideas as me in the box, he is also just a good gamer,” said Musiala. In the team camp they form a shared apartment with captain Ilkay Gündogan and Hoffenheim’s Maximilian Beier in one of the wooden houses with four residential units. “We chill out together, we talk. We play basketball together or FIFA. Whatever friends do,” said Wirtz about the activities with Musiala off the pitch.
The “common question” about Bayern or Real
Of course, the question of a shared club future also came up on Wednesday. They had “joked about it now and again,” revealed Wirtz, who is still tied to Bayer Leverkusen long-term. He quickly revealed that whether he would play with Musiala at FC Bayern or Real Madrid was “a mean question.” He would have to make a commitment – and of course he didn’t.
Toni Kroos, who will end his illustrious career after the European Championship and will lead and use the youngster duo on the pitch together with captain Gündogan, sees “little limit” in the sporting development of Wirtz and Musiala. “Both have everything they need to be at the top for the next ten, 15 years,” said the Real Madrid star.
Kroos has high hopes for Wirtz and Musiala
They could quickly become a nightmare for defenders. “Flo and Jamal are very difficult to tackle, they are outstanding in one-on-one situations and can resolve situations in tight spaces.” As a defender, you can despair: “If I go for them, there is always the danger that they will swerve. And then I’m standing there – and the player is no longer there.” From the DFB’s point of view, that is the ideal scenario for the European Championship.
Musiala and Wirtz differ in status, even though they both start the tournament as regulars. For Musiala, it is already the third major tournament after the 2021 European Championship and the 2022 World Cup. “I’m no longer the normal young player,” said the “Bambi” of the early days. Wirtz, on the other hand, is a tournament newbie, having missed the 2022 World Cup after tearing a cruciate ligament. But the 67-day younger player goes into the European Championship games with the self-confidence of the Leverkusen double winner. “Last year was the first time that something really came out of it,” he said proudly. The hunger for more titles has been awakened.