Who would have thought that half a year ago?

When the plane with the entourage of the German Football Association (DFB) takes off in Skopje on Tuesday morning to return home, there is something in the luggage that no other European team has so far: the ticket for the football World Cup in Qatar 2022. In March, the DFB-Elf was on the ground after the embarrassing 1: 2 in the first leg against North Macedonia.

Due to the 4-0 in the second duel with the outsider on Monday evening, the Germans can no longer be ousted from first place in their qualifying group.

Tobias Rabe

Responsible editor for Sport Online.

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A lot has happened around the country's first soccer team.

The leaden heaviness of the last few years under national coach Joachim Löw has given way to a new lightness.

The spring debacle and the failed European Championship with the knockout in the round of 16 seem more than just a few months away.

The change to Hansi Flick had an impact, atmospheric and sporty.

In Skopje, after goals from Kai Havertz (50th minute), twice Timo Werner (70th and 73rd) and Jamal Musiala (83rd), the fifth win in the fifth game under Flick.

Löw also started with this record in 2006, before there was only a 1-1 draw against Cyprus in the sixth international match.

Flick can do better at that.

On November 11th, Liechtenstein comes to Wolfsburg, three days later it goes to Armenia.

First of all, Flick, who had a slight cold in North Macedonia, had to analyze the evening.

“We achieved our goal, as the first nation.

The first half was a bit wild, so there was a bit of a lack of determination.

We did better in the second half and deservedly won.

The result was perfect, ”he said.

Only one was younger than Musiala

After the first 45 minutes, the clear victory could not necessarily be foreseen. The Germans did have some chances, but it wasn't just the lack of precision in front of the goal. Playback errors and technical deficiencies made the German work from the sodden lawn in the Toshe Proeski Arena appear unfinished, especially since the North Macedonians, incited by the fans, appeared dangerous on counterattacks. That subsided shortly after the break. Havertz's shot into the empty goal after a presentation by Thomas Müller steered the encounter in the direction desired by the Germans.

Werner also contributed to this with his hits. First the striker slammed the ball volley into the goal, then he showed high football skills with a flick, before Musiala became the second youngest shooter in DFB history at 18 years and 227 days. Earlier it was only Marius Hiller with just 17 years and 241 days - in 1910. Now the focus was on Werner, who scored five goals in five games under Flick, but was recently criticized from outside. Flick, who had verbally supported the Chelsea striker and set up again from the start, praised his “great” degrees.

Werner, who had been made an "honorary citizen" of their country by malicious North Macedonian fans after a great chance had been missed in the first leg, thanked the national coach for the support of the national coach.

“I think that I, as a striker, and twice as much, need this trust from outside.

I'm trying to repay it as well as possible, ”he said on RTL.

"That worked out well in four out of five games."

In response to the criticism, Werner said that it “inevitably had to roll off somehow”.

“If I had thought too much about it for two days, then I would not have been able to play here today.

At some point the barrel will be full. "And after two goals Werner sounded reasonably self-confident again:" We as a team know what we can do, I as a player know what I can do. "

At the end of the evening, Flick had the big picture in view when he qualified for the World Cup. “You saw again today what mentality was on the pitch. Of course, not everything worked 100 percent, of course there was a lack of precision. But still you have to say: We have never let up. ”When the first goal fell, one noticed“ that the knot had been untied. Now we have until November next year to do things better and develop, ”said Flick.

The world tournament begins in Qatar on November 21, 2022. What role the German team will then play cannot be answered 13 months in advance. But Flick trusts his selection to hold their own against top nations. “The quality of our players, if you look at where they play, you just have to say that they also have the quality to hold their own against Italy, Spain, France and Belgium. I'm very confident about that. ”But there are a few things that can and must be improved“ It's a long way to go before the World Cup. I definitely know: With this mentality, a lot is possible. "

Who will be the opponents of the preliminary round in Qatar will only be determined after the draw in April.

At least one prominent opponent is threatened.

Because Germany will probably not end up in the pot of the best teams.

If, as recently, the world rankings should be used as the benchmark for the division of the lots, the DFB team, which is currently only in 14th place, should not be among the top teams.

Flick didn't care that evening in Skopje: “At the moment I'm already very satisfied with the team.” But not only he knows how quickly things can change in football.