Ruthless Klose: Germany used to instill fear, today youngsters have no leaders and get offended easily

He hit the target as if it was a joke in his playing days, he was the king of the penalty area, especially when he would put on the shirt of the German national team at the World Cups. That is why football history remembers him as the best scorer in the tournament's history. But Miroslav Klose hits the nail on the head even after his football career.

In an interview with RedaktionsNetzwerk Deutschland, Klose talked about the German national team and exposed several aspects of the big truth about the Panzers and revealed all the problems that make the multiple world champion no longer a feared rival.

"I played for the national team for 13 years and we always had a group of guys who determined things more or less - in training, in matches and in the dressing room. Now you have many, maybe not too many, who don't want to take on those tasks and responsibilities," Klose said and continued: "And when things don't go well, accept criticism. Those young guys need someone to look up to and expect to lead them. As for the current generation, despite all the quality they possess, I often have the feeling that they immediately feel attacked, that's not good," said Klose and explained that for him personally, that feedback from his teammates was always extremely important.

Since 2014, Germany has experienced three consecutive disappointments at major tournaments. Starting with the World Cup in Russia in 2018, when on paper it finished last in a rather easy group with Sweden, Mexico and South Korea, through Euro 2020 played in 2021, when it was defeated by England already in the round of 16, and finally in Qatar, the Germans again fell out after the group stage because the Spaniards and Japanese were ahead.

"The recognizable image of the national team is no longer there. And the narrative used to be - 'here come the Germans', nobody could do anything to us. We torchured opponents so much that they were afraid of us. We were not better individually or tactically, but we were constantly present. And whoever wanted to beat us, they knew he would have to suffer to get it."

After that semi-final in Brazil when they humiliated the hosts and the record holder for the number of world cups won with seven goals in the net, there was hardly a national team that was not afraid of Germany. But the climate started to change very quickly, already in the next cycle. The most influential players like Klose, Philipp Lahm, Bastian Schweinsteiger retired from the national team, in the meantime, until 2018, Sami Khedira, Mesut Ozil and Jerome Boateng did it, and in 2021, Toni Kroos, one of the last senators of the 'golden generation,' said Aufwiedersehen. In 2019 and 2020, Thomas Müller was written off by Joachim Low, Low did the same with Mats Hummels, but Hansi Flick didn't count on Hummels either. The old leaders have disappeared, the new ones have not arrived.

"They will insult you, point fingers, ask questions - every one of them. They can be annoying sometimes, but they are incredibly important. The worst thing is when players go home without feedback or take offense at criticism," Klose said of most of the younger players that make up the German selection today.

Apart from the leader and striker, Germany lacks the characteristics of Klose, a relentless goalscorer who puts most of his teammates' passes into the opponent's goal. With all due respect to Niclas Fullkrug and Marvin Ducksch, this duo is not on the level of Miroslav Klose.

Germany, as the host of the Euros, which will be held in 2024, was probably the main favorite to win it. But because of the world that Klose talked about, de facto they cannot be included in the circle of the closest candidates for the trophy. That's why the Panzers are hoping for a renaissance under new head coach Julian Nagelsmann.