It’s all about Musiala: French legend Henry doesn’t understand Nagelsmann | OneFootball

The 2026 World Cup went anything but well for the German national team. They made it through the group stage, only to be eliminated in the round of 32 by Paraguay. Julian Nagelsmann is no longer the national team coach. 

He faced criticism on several occasions throughout the tournament, partly due to certain personnel decisions. His decision to stick with Leroy Sané was a point of contention, and the selection of Deniz Undav also raised eyebrows.

Fans and experts agreed that Nagelsmann did not leave a good impression. That’s why his dismissal ultimately seemed like the logical consequence.

Meanwhile, the Bayern contingent on the national team was unable to replicate its club form. That, too, was—and continues to be—a point of discussion.

Regarding Musiala: Henry’s Criticism of Nagelsmann

Above all, Nagelsmann was repeatedly accused of a lack of clarity—especially internally. Players reportedly found out only at the last minute whether they would play or not.

Photo: IMAGO

Thierry Henry, the former world-class striker from France, has now also voiced criticism of the now-former German national team coach. Henry, who works as an analyst for Fox Sports, also commented on Nagelsmann following the German team’s elimination. 

“The only question I have is: Okay, you didn’t start Undav in the last group stage match, but you did against Paraguay—yet Musiala wasn’t in the starting lineup. The coach will have to answer some questions here about his decisions,” Henry analyzed.

In his view, the FC Bayern dribbling maestro could have had a positive impact despite his current inconsistent form. Especially when it comes to creativity with the ball. “It’s always about what you do with the ball when you have it,” explained the former Barcelona pro, who himself won the World Cup with France in 2002.

It’s interesting to note in this context that Nagelsmann has mentioned several times that Musiala needs playing time to get back into form. So not including him in the starting lineup for the first knockout game and starting Leroy Sané instead was quite a surprise.