Thomas Müller puts himself in charge as Germany old guard plan one last job

The recalled striker has been rejuvenated but the same cannot be said for other veterans in a creaking squad facing England

For Thomas Müller and Mats Hummels, a climactic night in Gelsenkirchen two and a half years ago seemed an unhappy end. Germany were still struggling to kick their post-World Cup funk and the Netherlands had exacerbated things, scoring twice in the last five minutes to level a Nations League game. Hummels had not been quick enough out to Quincy Promes for the first goal; there was less he could do when Virgil van Dijk volleyed the equaliser. The faintly comical image at full time was of a stony-faced Müller, who had come on in the second half, reluctantly accepting a fist bump from Paule, the Nationalmannschaft’s eagle-costumed mascot.

Within weeks, Joachim Löw pulled the plug on his creaking stalwarts, describing 2019 as “the year of a new start for the national team. We want to give the team a new face.” Müller, Hummels and Jérôme Boateng were no longer to be considered for selection. Oliver Bierhoff, the technical director, explained that Germany had needed to “decide what is best for the team on the way back to the top of the world”.

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from Football | The Guardian https://www.theguardian.com/football/2021/jun/26/thomas-muller-germany-england