Berlin (Germany), Nov 10 (NationPress) German national coach Julian Nagelsmann has emphasized the need for enhanced efficiency from his strikers as the team prepares for the last two 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifiers against Luxembourg this Friday and Slovakia next Monday.

Nagelsmann specifically challenged Leroy Sane, the Galatasaray striker, indicating that his chances with the national squad are limited. “There won’t be many more opportunities for Leroy. He is a talented player who has the potential to meet all the team's needs. It's crucial for him to showcase his abilities,” Nagelsmann stated.

On the matter of 19-year-old Said El Mala from Cologne, Nagelsmann pointed out that “we are not blessed with many players like him who can cover the 8 or 10 positions,” referring to the central attacking midfield roles.

Nagelsmann has called for “more speed in general” as they approach the final qualifiers of 2025, stressing the importance of a strong finish following what he described as “the one mishap we already used”—a 2-0 defeat to Slovakia. “Achieving qualification for the World Cup is our top priority, but we must enhance our performance in and around the box,” he added.

He has provided chances to emerging talents like El Mala and Lennart Karl from Bayern Munich, due to their creativity and speed, a decision driven by injuries to key players.

Injuries have sidelined Jamal Musiala from Bayern Munich and Kai Havertz, the Arsenal striker, while Nico Schlotterbeck, a defender from Borussia Dortmund, faces uncertainty due to a foot injury. The challenging qualification series has amplified the pressure on Nagelsmann, whose squad selections have come under public scrutiny from former German internationals and television analysts.

Critics like Stefan Effenberg, Didi Hamann, and Lothar Matthaus have urged an end to Nagelsmann's ongoing experiments, questioning the rationale behind including Sane and El Mala over established players like Angelo Stiller from Stuttgart and full-back Maximilian Mittelstadt.

Effenberg sought clarification on these decisions, stating, “It’s not just me who doesn’t understand the move; everyone is bewildered.”

Matthaus remarked that Nagelsmann's continuous testing hampers the team's search for consistency. “The team struggles to achieve stability due to the coach's constant changes,” Matthaus noted.

Both analysts expressed that El Mala's selection appears premature, given that the midfielder has only played 12 first-division matches, scoring four goals and providing two assists. Hamann criticized the decision to overlook Maximilian Beier from Borussia Dortmund, arguing that El Mala's call-up was too rushed.