Germany just pulled off a gritty 2-1 win over Ivory Coast at the World Cup. And for the first time in a while, people back home are actually starting to believe. The latest convert? Bayern Munich’s longtime power broker Uli Hoeneß.
The 74-year-old honorary president didn’t go full hype mode and call Germany the tournament favorite. But he did say the kind of thing that gets fans talking. According to Hoeneß, Julian Nagelsmann’s squad showed real fight against the Ivorians, and if they keep that up, there’s no telling how far they can go.
“You have to say, Germany delivered an incredible fighting performance yesterday,” Hoeneß told reporters. “But there are still some very tough obstacles on the way to the title.”
What Hoeneß sees that others might not
What’s different this time, according to Hoeneß, is the chemistry. Germany has often looked fragmented in recent major tournaments. Players not quite on the same page. Body language that screamed frustration. Under Nagelsmann, something has shifted. There’s a resilience and togetherness that’s been missing since the 2014 title run.
“If they keep growing together as a team like this, and if the coach keeps making substitutions as effectively as he did yesterday, then anything is possible,” Hoeneß said.
That last part about Nagelsmann’s subs isn’t just flattery. The manager’s tactical adjustments turned a slog into a win against a tough Ivory Coast side that gave Germany everything it could handle for 70-plus minutes.
Germany now sits on six points from two group games. They’ve already locked up top spot in Group E. That means the final group match against Ecuador is basically a formality. No pressure. No desperation. Just a chance to rest a few legs and keep building momentum heading into the knockout rounds.
It’s a luxury most teams at this tournament don’t have. And in a World Cup where the margins between winning and going home feel razor thin, having that extra bit of breathing room could matter.
Hoeneß isn’t the first big name to get optimistic about this German team. The mood has been shifting since before the tournament even kicked off. But when a guy who has seen three decades of German football at the highest level says “anything is possible,” it carries a little more weight than some random fan hot take.
Nagelsmann’s side still has work to do. The Ivory Coast game showed they can be pushed around for stretches. But the fact that they won ugly, with grit rather than flair, might actually be the most encouraging sign of all.
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