DFB Director Bierhoff: "We have the quality for the world's best"

Oliver Bierhoff sees the German national team on the right path 13 months before the start of the soccer World Cup and has at the same time underpinned the high standards.

“We have the quality for the best in the world.

As a German national team you have to have the right to want to become world champion, ”said the DFB director in the“ Kicker ”interview (Thursday).

Not everything works out in a playful way, and the exploitation of chances must also be much better.

But: “The team brings what the coaching team does.

You can feel the enthusiasm, the joy and the identification with this team. "

After the disastrous EM and the end of the last sixteen against England (0-2), the DFB team started under the new national coach Hansi Flick with five wins in five games and was the first team to qualify for the World Cup next winter in Qatar.

From Bierhoff's point of view, the Bayern players also play a large part in this.

“Anyone who plays at Bayern Munich and is successful there brings quality and mentality with them.

These players have an absolute will to win, a high level of professionalism and are very focused on achieving their high goals and those of their teams ”, explained the European champion from 1996. Most recently, Manuel Neuer, Niklas Süle, Joshua Kimmich, Leon Goretzka and Serge Gnabry were and Thomas Müller six Bayern professionals in the starting line-up.

No training camp before the World Cup

For Bierhoff, who now has planning security, preparations for the first World Cup in the winter months of November and December are now beginning.

Usually, the DFB selection prepares intensively for the tournament in a training camp.

In 2010, 2014 and 2018 the team around the former national coach Joachim Löw was in South Tyrol.

There will be no training camp in the coming year due to the tight schedule.

Because the last Bundesliga matchday before the title fights ends on November 13, 2022, and the World Cup tournament starts just eight days later on November 21.

"If so, there can only be a short stay to acclimatize, there is too little time for an actual training camp," said Bierhoff and "definitely" plans a test match during this time.

A decision on the World Cup area is to be made in the coming spring.

Bierhoff and team manager Thomas Beheshti have already been to Qatar “to take a look at the local conditions.

We will travel to Qatar again this year and get a final picture.

After the draw in April, we can then fine-tune, ”said the 53-year-old Bierhoff.