'Talk is cheap!' - Dietmar Hamann claims Julian Nagelsmann 'rarely watches' Germany players' club games in scathing rant after 2026 World Cup exit

Germany's hopes of ending their run of World Cup disappointments ended with a penalty shootout defeat to Paraguay in the round of 32. Kai Havertz cancelled out Julio Enciso's opener, while an extra-time winner from Jonathan Tah was ruled out before the match went to spot-kicks. Misses from Havertz, Nick Woltemade and Tah handed Germany their first-ever World Cup penalty shootout defeat. The result followed a Euro 2024 quarter-final exit and successive group-stage eliminations at the 2018 and 2022 World Cups.

Speaking to RTE after the match, Hamann argued Germany's problems run deeper than results, claiming the squad has lacked unity throughout Nagelsmann's reign.

"I think heart and bottle comes from team spirit, from being together, from knowing you can trust your teammates – they’re there for you when you need them," Hamann explained. "I just feel, under this manager, that’s never been the case really.

"They had the odd decent performance, but on average the performance has been underwhelming. It’s been like this in the Euros, it’s been like this in the qualifying campaign, and it’s been like this in this World Cup.

"They always talked about the mood and the spirit in the camp. It’s all well saying [it]; you’ve got to show it. Talk is cheap, and I’ve never been convinced that this is a team as united... and honestly it’s the manager. It’s the manager’s job to get the lads united."

Hamann also accused Nagelsmann of not doing enough to monitor players and opponents in person. He claimed the Germany coach "rarely watches games", alleging he had not travelled to watch Yann Bisseck in Inter Milan or Kevin Schade at Brentford despite their performances at club level.

"Now, this is a guy who rarely watches games, rarely watches games," Hamann added. "He’s never been once in Milan to watch Bisseck play, he should’ve taken [him] to the World Cup. He’s never been in Brentford in two-and-a-half years to watch Schade, who scored 10 goals [8] last season and 10 goals [11] the season before.

"In the Bundesliga, he might be watching one or two games a month. There’s Champions League games where Real Madrid played. We had the Africa Cup of Nations in January, where he could have watched Ivory Coast and some of the potential opponents, he didn’t go.

"The Club World Cup last season, where you play these venues, the weather conditions, the heat... [Portugal coach Roberto] Martinez is here, [England coach Thomas] Tuchel is here. [France coach Didier] Deschamps, who’s won everything, is in his mid-60s, is in America for three weeks. Who’s not there? Our man. This is where I’ve got no sympathy for him. I think the team and he got everything they deserved, and they’re going home tomorrow."

Despite growing pressure, Nagelsmann insists he will not resign. The Germany coach remains under contract until 2028 and said he is prepared to continue if backed by the DFB, with preparations for the next European Championship and the Nations League now dependent on the DFB's decision over his future.