According to his own statement, Mats Hummels has not spent “one second” thinking about the national soccer team’s possible European Championship opponents.
Even before the 2-0 defeat in the European Championship test in Austria, Julian Nagelsmann was pleased to note that the German national soccer team would be spared the big chunks of Portugal, France, Spain, Belgium and England in the group phase next summer.
“The ideal constellation is that we deal with them when we progress,” said the national coach, looking ahead to the hoped-for move into the knockout round of the 2024 home European Championship. First of all, it will be “exciting” for Nagelsmann at the draw on December 2nd (6 p.m.) in Hamburg, the 36-year-old admitted, “because it’s not in your own hands.”
The lottery pots have been complete since Tuesday evening, Croatia secured the 21st direct ticket in the long-distance duel with Wales. The other three starting places will not be awarded until 2024.
Spicy: Germany faces a very challenging group with Denmark, the Netherlands and Italy.
The EM lottery pots
Pot 1Germany A1 seededPortugalFranceSpainBelgiumEnglandPot 2HungaryTurkeyRomaniaDenmarkAlbaniaAustriaPot 3Netherlands ScotlandCroatiaSloveniaSlovakiaCzech RepublicPot 4ItalySerbia SwitzerlandWinner Playoff A: Poland, Wales, Estonia and a team from Finland, Ukraine and IcelandWinner Playoff B: Israel, Bosnia-Herzegovina and two teams from Finland, Ukraine and IcelandWinners Playoff C: Georgia, Greece, Kazakhstan, Luxembourg
The current status for the European Championship playoffs
1234Path APoleWalesFinland or Ukraine or Iceland*EstoniaPath BIsraelBosnia-HerzegovinaFinland or Ukraine*Ukraine or Iceland*Path CGeorgiaGreeceKazakhstanLuxembourg
* after UEFA’s lottery decision on November 23rd. for participants path A
Mode: Team 1 – Team 4 and Team 2 – Team 3 play in each path. The winners of these semi-finals determine the three European Championship participants in their path in finals