The German soccer players got their wish for the final round of participation in the Olympics in February. Interim national coach Horst Hrubesch’s team will face France in the semi-finals of the Nations League, but will have to play away. The other match will be between world champions Spain and the Netherlands. This was the result of the draw for the final round on Monday in Nyon.
This means a double Olympic chance for the DFB selection. Two Paris tickets are still being played, France is automatically qualified as host of the 2024 Summer Games. If the French women make it to the final, third place is enough for them to take part. In the small final, however, Germany would also have to play away. “We are very happy about the draw. France is a seasoned and mature team that will demand a lot from us,” said Hrubesch. “We won’t go into the Final Four as favorites. Nevertheless, it’s clear: we have two games and we want to win both.”
Hrubesch will continue to look after the Germans at the final tournament of the Nations League. It is still unclear whether the 72-year-old will also be on the sidelines at the Olympic Games if he is successful. If the DFB selection misses qualifying for Paris, the next big tournament will not take place until the summer of 2025. Then the European Championships will take place in Switzerland, with the European Qualifiers starting in April.
The playoff round at a glance:
Semifinals, February 23, 2024:
Spain – Netherlands, France – Germany
Game for third place, February 28, 2024:
Spain/Netherlands – France/Germany
Final, February 28, 2024:
Spain/Netherlands – France/Germany