Oliver Bierhoff slams Germany in Nations League tie with Netherlands

On a cold morning in Berlin, Oliver Bierhoff, former general manager of the DFB, is ready to voice his concerns. A few days before the Nations League‑match against the Dutch national team, he warns of a fundamental problem within the German squad.

Criticism of character and initiative

Bierhoff, now 58, ended his playing career in 2003 and a year later joined the German federation as a team manager. He was promoted in 2018 to an executive role, but left the DFB at the end of 2022 after a disappointing World Cup in Qatar.

In an interview, he says that the players have quality, but there is a shortage of outspoken personalities like Lothar Matthäus, Toni Kroos or Philipp Lahm. He emphasizes that too few players take responsibility and initiative at crucial moments.

According to Bierhoff, German players now look to the coach too often, whereas in the past figures like Matthias Sammer and later Kroos or Sami Khedira dictated the game. He wonders which German internationals today still represent a club at the highest international level.

The criticism comes after Germany, like the Netherlands, lost in the semi‑final of the 2022 World Cup on penalties – Germany to Paraguay, the Netherlands to Morocco. Bierhoff’s remarks constitute a sharp signal for the upcoming Nations League‑clash.