The former internationals Michael Ballack and Sandro Wagner have high hopes for the World Cup in national coach Hansi Flick.

“If you talk to the boys or the staff of the national team, you can hear that Hansi Flick is the game changer. There is a fresh performance culture in the team again, there is another train in it,” said Wagner at an appointment with the DAZN streaming service in Munich. Flick hasn’t had a tournament yet, but you can already see the clear style of play.

The demand is high

The longtime national team captain Ballack, like Wagner DAZN expert, evaluates the start of Joachim Löw’s successor positively. “Hansi had huge advance praise because his success at FC Bayern made a perfect transition to the national team. After the national team’s less than optimal development, he has public support, also thanks to his personality and his manner,” said Ballack.

“The performances and results were partly mixed, but he brought a bit of calm back. For him it’s about developing something. The player material is very, very good, so the demands are high,” said the 45-year-old . “He now has to develop the mentality in the national team that it takes to attack at the top at the World Cup. That takes time and is the task he has to devote himself to now with a view to the winter.”

The national team continues in September with games in the Nations League against Hungary and England. The World Cup takes place from November 21st to December 18th. There, the German selection meets Spain, Costa Rica and Japan in the preliminary round. At the World Cup four years ago in Russia, the German selection failed in the preliminary round as the last in the group.