Germany's EURO 2024: Player Grades

After an emotional journey, Germany's EURO campaign has come to an end. The team is progressing collectively, but where do things stand on an individual basis?

After an emotional journey marked by climactic peaks and disheartening troughs, Germany's EURO 2024 campaign has come to a premature end.

Quarter-final elimination to Spain sees Germany‘s wait for an international title draw on, but the national team shouldn’t go out empty-handed from a competition that has reignited the nation‘s collective football spirit. 

Rüdi Voller- the DFB sporting director - summarized it best in a national press conference a day after elimination,

“The team has managed to create this euphoria in Germany, which was almost unimaginable in the past weeks and months. Even for me who experienced a lot, it was something special. It was unique. It was our goal and our dream a few months ago."

The team is progressing collectively, but what about a more detailed assessment of how the past three weeks have affected each player individually? While it may seem ambitious, the World Cup is only two years away, and this squad is still undergoing a significant rebuilding phase that will likely intensify in the months ahead.

With that in mind, let’s dissect Germany’s EURO 2024 campaign player-by-player: I looked at the 23 players who played a minute at this summer’s championship, determining who raised their stock and who failed to impress.

The grading scale goes from 1 to 5, with 1 being ‘the player of the tournament’ & 5 being ‘catastrophic’...

Manuel Neuer: 3.00

Manuel Neuer was under heavy criticism ahead of the tournament following a string of errors for club and country. However, at EURO 2024 his performances were solid and dependable throughout. Neuer made just 5 saves throughout the groupstage, but when called upon he always looked sharp and attuned to the game dynamics. A fantastic double parry against Hungary and a flying block against a Granit Xhaka thunderbolt were key in earning Germany safe passage to the knockout-stages. 

In the two knockout-stage fixtures against Denmark and Spain Neuer was slightly busier, but again the 38-year-old left a relatively good impression that justified Nagelsmann’s decision to select him ahead of Marc-Andre Ter Stegen. A cynic would potentially argue that Neuer spilled too many shots and could have been across his goal quicker for Dani Olmo’s opener, but that is a rather fatalistic view of a tournament that was generally in-line with expectations.   

Joshua Kimmich: 2.50

No player has been criticized, scrutinized, and scapegoated by the German media and fans more than Joshua Kimmich over the past 4-years, yet the makeshift rightback was excellent throughout the tournament. Kimmich assisted Germany’s first and last goal of the tournament, and despite some notable athletic limitations, he made a relatively solid defensive showing of himself.

If there was anything to complain about it would be the odd positional errors which creeped into Kimmich’s game. The 29-year-old cut a poor image for Switzerland’s opener, and there were a few occasions against Spain where Kimmich’s high defensive positioning was mercilessly exploited. 

Benjamin Henrichs: N/A

With just 10 minutes all tournament Benjamin Henrichs can not earn a verdict like the other players profiled so far. 

Still, his importance to the squad shouldn’t be understated. Henrichs is extraordinarily two-footed, positionaly versatile across both fullbacks position, and by all accounts a true team-player in the locker room. 

Antonio Rüdiger: 3.00

Rüdiger underlined his status as the most important defender in Germany’s ranks. Not a single minute was spent without the 31-year-old on the pitch, and even a muscle injury against Switzerland didn’t keep him from putting in a man-of-the-match display against Denmark 6 days later. Rüdiger’s world-class athleticism and ability to dominate individual duels helped Germany keep 2 cleansheets, but there were a few isolated moments where the Madridista could have done better. 

For the opening goals Germany conceded against Spain and Switzerland, Rüdiger failed to provide vocal guidance. Additionally, Mikel Merino's game-winning header, which ultimately knocked Germany out of the tournament, found Rüdiger flat-footed and disoriented in the penalty area. 

Whereas Merino’s goal can potentially be attributed to fatigue and weariness, the issues around Rüdiger’s vocal leadership are far more troubling as we look towards the future. The Madrid defender has never been a commanding vocal presence on the pitch, but as Germany’s undisputed leader in defense, he must grow into this role sooner rather than later. 

Jonathan Tah. 3.00

28-years-old and with almost 300 Bundesliga matches to his name, it is easy to forget that these past weeks were the very first fixtures Jonathan Tah has ever played for Germany at an international tournament. With that in mind, Tah left a very solid impression. Though he potentially lacked the ball progression of Nico Schlotterbeck, or the pure dominance of Antonio Rüdiger, he also didn’t have the black-out moments that befell both of these stars. Amidst some inconsistencies across the pitch, it was important to have a player of Tah’s ability to offer a reliable image in the heart of defense. 

Nico Schlotterbeck: 3.00

Schlotterbeck came into the side at a decisive moment against Denmark, and showed a performance befitting of his final weeks at Borussia Dortmund. Stellar on the ball with game-changing long-range passing, and a vocal and enthusiastic tackler who energized the Signal-Iduna Park with his combative nature. 

A lackadaisical dribble in his own penalty area almost gave Denmark the lead in the 42nd minute, but generally Schlotterbeck gave a far more assured image of himself that should dispel some of the lingering demons from his dreadful showing at the 2022 World Cup. 

Waldemar Anton: N/A

With Waldemar Anton playing just 32 minutes across the entire tournament it is difficult to give a fair judgment that doesn’t over-analyze isolated moments. Yet, such is the task at hand, and with a small sample size to look at, it is difficult to excuse Anton’s errant pass just seconds before Spain’s winning goal. 

For a player of his technical quality, a more satisfactory solution should have been at hand. 

Maximilian Mittelstädt: 3.5

Mittelstädt came into the tournament off of a high-flying campaign with VfB Stuttgart, but the all-rounder never really made the leftback position his own. Bar a superb cut-back to assist İlkay Gündoğan on matchday 2, Mittelstädt struggled to bring a lot of attacking impulses to the German game. With Jamal Musiala often frequenting the interior channels there were opportunities for Mittelstädt to push into the final third, but when there, he was often wasteful and inaccurate.  The 27-year-old completed just 34% of his crosses, and failed to put any of his 5 shot-attempts on target. 

Defensively, it must be said that Mittelstädt rarely put a foot wrong. He was rarely beaten in an isolated duel, and the Stuttgart fullback formed a solid partnership alongside Jonathan Tah. 

David Raum: 3.5

Though earning the same grade as Mittelstädt, David Raum’s strengths and weaknesses differed quite dramatically to the Stuttgart leftback with whom he competed for minutes against. Whereas Mittelstädt struggled to create in the final third, Raum showcased his elite, dare I say world-class, crossing ability on numerous occasions. The Leipzig fullback set up Niclas Füllkrug’s stoppage time winner against Switzerland, and placed one delicately on the head of Kai Havertz for a golden opportunity against Denmark. 

Even against the ball, David Raum was quite solid despite his often-questioned defensive qualities. However, his real struggles were evident in the build-up play. The Leipzig fullback was a clear pressing trigger for Spain, with Luis de la Fuente’s side frequently winning possession high up the pitch against the seemingly overwhelmed Raum. In less than an hour against Spain Raum allowed himself 9 turnovers, with 3 of these coming in his own half of the pitch. 

Robert Andrich: 3.0

The designated midfield terrier did exactly as asked of him throughout the tournament, consistently freeing up Toni Kroos and Germany’s forward line to create with relative freedom. After picking up a yellow-card just 30 minutes into the tournament Andrich did very well to retain his defensive edge while avoiding a second-booking until the final match against Spain. Where he struggled a bit more was his defensive positioning. Andrich was not without fault for Spain’s opening goal, needlessly falling into the backline and allowing Dani Olmo to run unperturbed into a prime goal scoring position. 

On the ball, Andrich was reliable with a 91.7% pass completion rate throughout the tournament. However, his decision to take seven shots, each seemingly further from goal than the last, felt somewhat wasteful.

Toni Kroos: 2.5

To think that this is the last we will see of Toni Kroos in professional football is even more mind-boggling given the level of his performances throughout the past 3 weeks. The 34-year-old contested all but 10 minutes throughout the competition, and thoroughly dominated proceedings with his metronomic presence in midfield. At the time of writing, no player has completed more passes at the tournament, with Kroos completing a staggering 454 of 476 attempted passes (95.38%).

Nevertheless, one did see some of the potential limitations in his game throughout the final fixture versus Spain. Kroos could have easily been sent off after 6 minutes of play, and that extra burst of speed was often lacking as the German veteran ended the match with 5 fouls. That is the most Toni Kroos has received in a match for club & country since a Nation's League fixture versus Switzerland in 2020. 

Pascal Groß: N/A

As a player many considered capable of contesting for a starting spot ahead of the tournament, it is quite surprising that Pascal Groß failed to feature for a single minute following Germany’s opening victory over Scotland. Perhaps Toni Kroos’ unrelenting fitness, or the prominence of Emre Can, stood in the way. Whatever it was, Pascal Groß never managed to leave the impact on this tournament that many had foreseen. 

Emre Can: 3.5

An excellent super-sub, a far-from ideal starting option. That was Emre Can’s tournament summed up in the simplest of terms. The 30-year-old was a very late addition - joining Julian Nagelsmann’s side just 2 days before the tournament - but he left a lasting impression with a goal against Scotland, and a key defensive display for the final half hour against Denmark. 

Can’s impact off the bench against Denmark even earned him a shock-start against Spain 6 days later, but there, the Dortmund captain could not impress. Against the ball Can was solid, but in possession, one saw his extraordinary limitations begin to come to the fore. In just 45 minutes Can allowed himself 10 turnovers, 8 of which came in his own half of the pitch.

A halftime substitution seemed more than justified from Nagelsmann, but with a few days' separation, it is easier to remember the value Can brought to this side across his 3 other performances at the competition.

Leroy Sané: 4.5

A recurring pubic bone injury can help quantify Sané’s poor performance, but that alone does not tell the whole story for why such an undeniable talent struggled to ever make an impact during any of the 5 matches. A lack of dynamism, an inability to competently beat his opponents, and a string of missed chances will all be leveled at Sané when this tournament is internally dissected over the coming weeks and months. 

We have long known that Sané struggles to impact fixtures as a substitute - Sané has scored just 1 goal & 1 assist across 19 substitute appearances for Germany - but even when afforded two starting opportunities in the knockout-stages the Bayern winger never got going. Sané’s defensive work-rate and selfless off-ball movement offered value to Nagelsmann’s side, but that is not enough on its own to justify leaving a talent of Florian Wirtz’s quality on the bench.  

Florian Wirtz: 3.0

The world had lofty expectations for Florian Wirtz heading into this year’s tournament. The 21-year-old had enjoyed a season of stardom in Leverkusen, ending the club’s 30-year title drought and contributing countless goals and assists in the process. Still, those who had followed the youngsters' development more closely had already begun to see over the past months that this brilliance was not sustainable for much longer. The 21-year-old had been running on fumes for weeks, with the 62 matches and 4,296 minutes for club and country leaving a significant toll on the youngster.

That it wouldn’t all click into place seemed obvious, and so it panned out during these few weeks at the European Championships. Wirtz struggled to dictate and command matches with the authority he showed throughout the domestic campaign, and his oft-brilliant final third decision-making seemed clouded in key moments. Yet, despite all of these difficulties, it was he who opened Germany’s account at EURO 2024, and he who kept their hopes alive with an 89th minute equalizer against Spain.

It is the sign of a remarkable talent to be able to appear in such remarkable moments even when the grander picture is not so rosy. 

Jamal Musiala: 2.0

Though Jamal Musiala enjoyed a difficult afternoon in Germany’s final fixture versus Spain, the performances of the 21-year-old throughout this tournament should not be under-stated. Musiala’s silky dribbling, magisterial spatial awareness, and deft combination-play were all features one could expect from the Bayern forward, but the astounding efficiency he delivered in front of goal was something few had expected given his previous track-record for club and country. Musiala had managed only 12 goals in 38 appearances for FC Bayern last season, and at the 2022 World Cup, the then teenager failed to score from any of his 12 shot attempts. 

So to not only score 3 goals, but to do so from 9 shots (4 shots on target) is an astounding development that truly shows why Musiala is ready to graduate from a future talent to one of Europe’s undisputed superstars. 

Chris Führich: N/A

Chris Führich was never going to be a starter for Julian Nagelsmann’s side, but to see him feature for only 18 minutes (all during one fixture), was relatively underwhelming for a player who has the raw dynamism and verticality to offer a unique element in the side. 

Jamal Musiala’s irreplaceable form in Führich’s favored left wing position made minutes hard to come by, but it would have been interesting to see the 26-year-old come on against a side like Switzerland where Germany were chasing a goal. His measly 1 goal & 0 assists throughout the final 9 Bundesliga fixtures with Stuttgart perhaps lowered his standing in the pecking order, but Führich is still an exceptional ball carrier and unpredictable creative threat who has the quality to pull out a moment of magic from nowhere. 

Maximilian Beier: N/A

Like Führich, Beier was a player many had hoped to see make a breakthrough at this summer’s tournament. The international media saw his selection as a shock, but those who had followed the Bundesliga closely would have known that he deserved his place in the final 26-man squad. 

The 21-year-old had scored 16 goals in his debut topflight season, while his versatile positional qualities and elite perception of space in the final third made him an interesting element to bring off the bench. 

In a pre-tournament friendly with Ukraine Beier displayed his super sub qualities with two powerful strikes against the woodwork, but when it came to the real tournament, the youngster had to make due with just 25 minutes against Switzerland. 

İlkay Gündoğan: 4.0

Germany’s captain and on-field leader entered the competition with numerous performance-related questions that have not gone away following Germany’s exit. The 33-year-old was excellent throughout the victory over Hungary - scoring and assisting in the triumph - but in key moments against Switzerland, Denmark, and Spain he seemed to shrink from the limelight. 

The recurring question of how you ideally fit Gündoğan and Kroos into your side has not necessarily been answered by Nagelsmann. By placing Gündoğan in an attacking role Germany were able to free up the conducting spaces for Kroos, but this, in turn, left Gündoğan disoriented and ineffective throughout key fixtures. While the captain’s off-ball movement routinely helped create space for Germany’s other attackers, Gündoğan, himself, could never really control the game in the manner he is undeniably capable of. 

Thomas Müller: N/A

At 34-years-old this looks to be Thomas Müller’s final act in international football.In his 16th and 17th European Championship appearances, the German veteran still hasn't found the net in this competition. However, his value to the team transcended far beyond the 56 minutes he spent on the pitch.

Müller was pictured in constant discourse with Julian Nagelsmann, Sandro Wagner, and various members of the squad who he was happy to impart some of his unparalleled wisdom on. In the same tournament where we saw a 39-year-old Cristiano Ronaldo terrorize the Portuguese national team into an ego-fuelled downfall, it was refreshing to see Müller graciously accept his place in the squad and put the collective success before any self-absorbed motives. 

Denis Undav: N/A

No German player scored more goals than Denis Undav in one of Europe’s top 5 leagues last season (18), but the 27-year-olds elite record at club-level ultimately didn’t count for much when it came to Julian Nagelsmann’s EURO selections. Across the 5 fixtures Undav made just 1 appearance; a 6-minute cameo against an already beaten Hungary. 

One potential reason for the lack of minutes is the position Undav typically takes up in Stuttgart. At just 1,79m he is slightly under-sized to lead the line on his own, so at club-level Sebastian Hoeneß often played Undav as a second-striker roaming beneath a true number nine (Serhou Guirassy) In Nagelsmann’s system this role was often preoccupied by İlkay Gündoğan, and when Germany were searching for an equalizer, the young manager much preferred to drop Havertz beneath Füllkrug rather than substitute the Arsenal man out in favor of Undav. 

Kai Havertz: 4.0

Few players divide opinion as much as Kai Havertz, and this tournament has only added additional fuel to the fire. The FC Arsenal forward started every single fixture for Germany throughout the tournament, with his defensive work-rate, exceptional spatial awareness, and selfless off-ball runs earning him heaps of praise from Julian Nagelsmann and his coaching staff. 

And it is hard to argue with that assessment. There are few players better at finding space in the final third, and even fewer who have such an exceptional gift for crafting scoring opportunities with their off-ball movement. The problem, thus, lies in how Havertz fails to deliver on these undeniable talents. In nearly 400 minutes of football, Kai Havertz failed to score a single non-penalty goal from 16 shot attempts. These were not hopeful long-range efforts but significant scoring opportunities that any elite number nine would have capitalized on.

One could argue that no other forward at the tournament possesses the qualities to generate so many shooting opportunities, and while this may be true, it's also impossible to ignore the fact that Havertz squandered 7 big chances (Sofascore).

With Nagelsmann leaving an elite, and in-form, finisher like Niclas Füllkrug on the bench, the full package that Havertz offered at this tournament was simply not enough to justify his untouchable status. 

Niclas Füllkrug: 2.5

While the decisive moment wasn’t meant to be against Spain, it is quite remarkable what Niclas Füllkrug achieved again for Germany in limited tournament minutes. At the 2022 World Cup Niclas Füllkrug contributed 2 goals and 1 assist in just 66 minutes of action, and this summer, he continued his fine scoring run with 2 more goals in 161 minutes on the pitch. The first was a net-bursting strike in Germany’s opening victory over Scotland, while the second was a deft header to give Germany a last-gasp equalizer against Switzerland.

Germany’s 31-year-old late-blooming number nine is still yet to start a match at a major tournament, but his goalscoring record at the international level is at an elite standard many only dream of. In 21 matches Füllkrug has scored 13 times for Germany, averaging a goal every 64 minutes for the national team. His technical limitations and lack of fluid off-ball positioning gave Nagelsmann a reason to favor Kai Havertz ahead of the tournament. However, one felt that, at the very least, against Spain’s physically unimposing center-back pairing, Füllkrug could have had a lucrative evening if he had been given the nod from the start.

Julian Nagelsmann: 2.5

Perhaps no individual is harder to conclusively judge than Julian Naglesmann. On a grand scale, the 36-year-old did an exceptional job to revitalize a dysfunctional national side, and reunite the nation with the football team many had long lost an emotional connection towards. Just 6-months ago the fear of a debacle on home soil felt like a realistic prospect, so to make it to the quater-finals and only narrowly bow out against a side of Spain’s magnitude is a great endorsement for what Nagelsmann has been able to instill in such a short period of time. 

Nevertheless, there was the odd selection choice that showed a level of naivety Nagelsmann still has in the international game. For example, his decision to select Emre Can in the starting lineup for the quarter-final tie with Spain was difficult to justify ahead of kick-off, and even more head-scratching when the match got under way. Perhaps the biggest rule of thumb in international football is to hold firm with a central axis in the knockout-stages. According to the excellent research by Tobias Escher, 17 of the 22 sides to win the European Championship or World Cup selected the same midfield and centerback pairing across all of their knockout-stage fixtures.  

Thus, while Emre Can's added speed and dynamism could be a valuable asset in a 34-game Bundesliga season, in international football, Nagelsmann should have opted to maintain the established central automatisms developed during the group stage instead of experimenting.