Nagelsmann Defends Sane Before Match Against Côte d'Ivoire: Criticism Does Not Affect Him

Germany's national team coach, Julian Nagelsmann, defended his winger Leroy Sané ahead of the match against Côte d'Ivoire in the second round of the group stage at the 2026 World Cup. This came after the player faced criticism following the big 7-1 victory over Curaçao.

Nagelsmann confirmed that Sané is not suffering from a confidence crisis, noting that the player put in a significant effort on the field and that his evaluation is sometimes affected by preconceived judgments, which he described as a "psychological phenomenon." He also emphasized that he does not like to see his players subjected to excessive criticism, but he trusts Sané's ability to respond with a strong performance.

The German coach revealed that Sane will continue to start against Ivory Coast, refusing to make significant changes to his lineup, despite the Galatasaray winger not scoring any goals in the first match.

At the same time, Nagelsmann warned of the danger posed by the Ivory Coast team, praising their speed, physical strength, and ability to exploit spaces. He confirmed that Germany has prepared special strategies to limit the strengths of the African champions, but acknowledged that completely stopping them will not be easy. Source: Ruhr Nachrichten.