Jersey Swap: Fabian Schär
The Newcastle defender stayed the full 90 minutes, and definitely put in the work to show for it. He was constantly put to the test by Germany’s (struggling) attack, and never failed to answer. Schär was close to perfect for Switzerland tonight, and it showed. Minus Niclas Füllkrug’s last minute goal, the defense was extremely solid and did a great job of keeping Germany at bay. Fabian had a large role in making sure it stayed that way for most of the game.
Der Kaiser: Antonio Rüdiger
Germany’s defense is quite close to not deserving an award at all, but something must be said about Rüdiger’s performance. Switzerland, in the first half especially, tried a few times to score by lobbing the ball over Germany’s defensive line. The only reason it didn’t work was because Rüdiger was there to pressure the lone attacker and get the ball to Manuel Neuer safely. There were moments when the defense was extremely concerning, but we’re here to appreciate the good.
Fußballgott: Robert Andrich
Bayer Leverkusen is lucky to have a midfielder like Andrich. Despite playing only 65 minutes, Andrich had an impact on Germany’s game. He was not exactly perfect on the pitch, but that beautiful strike, had it been counted, would have been all the difference Germany needed. That shot is exactly the type of work Andrich put in today, and Julian Nagelsmann can be happy with the midfielders he employs.
Der Bomber: Jamal Musiala
Throughout the game, Germany played as if their sole focus was to retain possession of the ball and that was all. Passes were ample, but shots and chances taken were not. Musiala looked like the only player on the pitch that wanted to shoot the ball, and that is exactly what Germany needed today. Although Switzerland was creative with shutting him down, Musiala did an incredible job up front for Germany today, and Nagelsmann needs to consider letting him shoot more often.
Meister of the Match: Toni Kroos
At some point he needs to slow down, right? Nope, the Real Madrid super star is not showing any signs of letting his game slip, despite being on his way to the retired life. Once again, his pass rate and accuracy was incredible, with a 92% pass accuracy the whole game. He was what the squad needed both at the back as well as up front. The only issue that could pop up is that Nagelsmann might depend on Kroos’ services a little too much, something opponents can exploit quite easily.
What did you think of our award selection? Who else deserves a shout? Let us know in the comments below!