Völler: Argentina is no role model, Germany should learn from Spain and England

According to Bild, German Football Association (DFB) sporting director Rudi Völler stated in Mainz that the German team's greatest need for improvement is in defense.

At the BDFL (German Football Coaches Association) international coaching conference in Mainz, Völler expressed his clear stance while also criticizing FIFA World Cup runner-up Argentina. The 1990 FIFA World Cup winner does not understand why many consider Argentina a defensive role model. "I said that as the German team, we must defend better. Many people use Argentina as an example. I think that's a very poor example. Argentina has suddenly become the benchmark for everything; I find this discussion a bit hypocritical," Völler said.

He then spoke even more frankly: "I don't want a team that plays like Argentina. That's not football at all." These words were met with applause from the audience, which included many well-known coaches and other football figures from across Germany. Völler also emphasized that he acknowledges Argentina's achievements but does not understand the high praise given to their tough, and at times not entirely clean, playing style: "Yes, they are world champions, and this time they were FIFA World Cup runner-up again. But the praise many people give them, I really don't understand."

In Völler's view, the German team should learn from other teams, especially Spain and England. He believes that these two teams showed at the FIFA World Cup how to maintain their playing style while defending well: "Spain deserves the praise, and England's defense is also excellent."

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