UEFA Nations League: Stuttgart on a Sunday Hosts Battle for Third

Germany vs France

At the end of a long season, third place in the UEFA Nations League may not seem the most alluring prospect for the leading footballers of Germany and France to aim for.

Yet that is the reality facing the nations ranked 10^th and third in the world and, given competitive contests between these countries rarely pass off without a compelling battle, we should be in for some Nations League 2025 highlights.

Talking Points

In truth, this SBOTOP pundit doesn’t think this was how Germany had exactly planned their end of season.

While far from the disappointment they experienced 11 months ago when a last-gasp Spanish goal led to a quarter-final exit as hosts of Euro 2024, they certainly won’t want to finish in the fourth and final spot on home soil in this tournament.

In their semi-final against Portugal on Wednesday night, Florian Wirtz broke the deadlock, heading home a clipped ball over the defence from Joshua Kimmich, who was celebrating his 100th Germany cap.

Yet the winners of the inaugural Nations League final hit back with two goals in five second-half minutes, the decisive strike from the evergreen Cristiano Ronaldo, to book their place in the final.

Julian Nagelsmann’s team had won their previous five games in major tournaments against Portugal and this was only his fourth defeat in 22 games in charge of the national side.

Their only bright point was the milestone as Kimmich became the 14th German to reach the centurion mark and the only player in that group who is yet to win a World Cup.

While he has some way to go to catch Manuel Neuer (124 caps) and Thomas Müller (131) – fifth and third respectively in the all-time list – Kimmich closed in on the legendary Franz Beckenbauer (103) and is now just five off entering the top-10, with Jürgen Kohler on 105.

Having recently signed a contract extension with Bayern through to 2029 and – potentially – the end of his playing career, Kimmich now has another milestone in mind: Lothar Matthäus’s national record of 150 caps.

Spain triumphed over France in a nine-goal epic during the Nations League semi-finals — Following their loss to Spain, France meet Germany in Stuttgart for the Nations League third-fourth play-off

Awaiting Germany in Stuttgart on Sunday are France after they were beaten in a remarkable semi-final against Spain 24 hours later.

That match featured the last two Nations League champions – France in 2021 and Spain two years ago – and will be remembered for some time to come.

Of course, that won’t be any consolation to Les Bleus who racked up 24 of the 40 shots. They were 5-1 behind with a quarter of the game remaining but Rayan Cherki, an own goal and a Randal Kolo Muani header contributed to a special and sometimes silly occasion, infusing it with a tension no one had anticipated 20 minutes earlier.

The introduction of 21-year-old Cherki, making his France debut, showed why he is being linked with a move to a number of Europe’s big clubs, including Manchester City. He’s two-footed, full of tricks and would bring a welcome unpredictability to Pep Guardiola’s side.

Overall, I think France are a slightly better team but I think Germany will prevail due to home advantage and, more tellingly. the fact they have had an extra 24 hours to prepare.

History

France have the edge, historically, with 15 victories to Germany’s 12 successes and a further seven draws.

Their very first meeting was a friendly in Paris in March 1931 when an own goal won the game for the hosts.

Their first six meetings were all friendlies before they met in a World Cup third place play-off in 1958 when the legendary Just Fontaine (the highest ever socrer in a World Cup) netted four times in a 6-3 French victory.

The memory that stands out for me was a World Cup semi-final in 1982 when the sides shared six goals and the Germans prevailed on spot-kicks but the thriller was marred by the ‘assault’ carried out by German goalkeeper Harald Schumacher which went unpunished.

Their last major tournament meeting came four years ago at Euro 2020 (played a year later), a group game won by an own goal in France’s favour.

They last locked horns in a friendly 15 months ago in Lyon, won 2-0 by the visitors thanks to Wirtz and Kai Havertz goals.