Former national player Mario Basler has taken a confrontational stance against the German Football Association (DFB) by launching a verbal assault on national team coach Julian Nagelsmann. The 1996 European Champion expressed his outrage during his podcast, "Basler ballert," particularly criticizing Nagelsmann for including Antonio Rüdiger in the squad for the upcoming international matches against Switzerland on March 27 and Ghana on March 30. Rüdiger's recent history of fouls and disciplinary issues while playing for Real Madrid has left Basler bewildered.
Just weeks ago, Rüdiger was involved in a serious foul in La Liga that sparked complete disbelief in Basler. He stated, "This is no longer a normal foul. This is an action where you risk injuring your opponent," highlighting his concerns as a former midfielder for clubs like Werder Bremen and Bayern Munich. Basler expressed his inability to comprehend how Rüdiger remains part of the national team, directing his criticism toward the DFB: "I can no longer take the DFB and those in charge seriously. What is happening does not align with the values they claim to represent."
Basler's critique of Nagelsmann was particularly harsh, as the coach publicly defended Rüdiger, which Basler deemed unacceptable. He remarked, "Nagelsmann defends this—and that is precisely the biggest problem for me in this whole situation." He further elaborated, stating, "I feel lied to by Julian Nagelsmann. The statements he made in the past do not align with what is happening now at all."
Moreover, Basler questioned the overall direction of the DFB, warning, "If you let such actions go unpunished, you lose all credibility as an association." He insisted that national players must also serve as role models, which is an essential aspect of their responsibilities.
Basler's conclusion is damning: "The topic of the DFB is settled for me. I will keep a close eye on it, but for now, I will not believe anything they say."
As reported by sport.de.
