Nagelsmann reacts to Wanner’s decision to turn down Germany call-up

At a press conference on Monday, Julian Nagelsmann commented on Paul Wanner’s decision to turn down a call-up to the Germany squad.

It made headlines when it was revealed that Paul Wanner, who is currently on loan at Heidenheim from Bayern Munich, had turned down an invitation to join the German national team this month.

Wanner, who is eligible to play for both Germany and Austria, has since explained that he doesn’t want to make a final decision on his international future now, but rather concentrate on continuing his development.

Asked about Wanner’s decision at a press conference on Monday, Germany coach Julian Nagelsmann expressed his respect for the youngster’s decision and the reasons behind it.

“Of course I would have been delighted if he had been here: that’s why we wanted to nominate him. In general, I thought the way he expressed himself was very good. The fact that he can play for two nations creates a hype around him as a young player. If he could only play for one nation, his name would probably never have appeared in your newspapers, except perhaps when he moved to Bayern,” said Nagelsmann.

“Of course, as an association we fight for the best talents. But I’m not worried, because I think it’s a personal decision which country a player wants to play for. I don’t want a player to decide because he thinks he has a better chance of playing for one nation. That’s the wrong approach because it’s about the heart,” added the Germany coach, who is open to the idea of taking Wanner to the World Cup in 2026.

“We have a fantasy that he can play a role in our World Cup squad if his development continues. But of course he’s just starting out,” he said.