Benfica striker earns praise from German legend after historic Greece win
A World Cup winner has labelled Germany "mediocre" and pointed to Benfica forward Vangelis Pavlidis as exactly the kind of player his country no longer produces. Bastian Schweinsteiger's blunt assessment came after Greece defeated Germany 1–0 in Augsburg on Sunday — the first time the Greeks have ever beaten Germany in a competitive fixture.
A harsh verdict from a former champion
Schweinsteiger, who lifted the World Cup with Germany in 2014, did not hold back in his appraisal of the current national team. Speaking on German broadcaster ARD, he said the side has lost its status as an elite force and now sits at a mediocre level.
"We no longer have players who make the difference," the former Bayern Munich and Manchester United midfielder said. He singled out the Greek threat, naming Pavlidis among the decisive players alongside Karaiskakis and Tzolis — a trio he believes Germany currently lacks.
Pavlidis, who captains Greece, started the move that led to Kourbelis's winning goal. The Águias striker has been in strong form this season, with eight goals and two assists in seven appearances for Benfica — statistics that place him in the 100th percentile for goals among strikers in Liga Portugal.
A new low after World Cup exit
The defeat was the first for Jürgen Klopp since he took charge of Germany in July 2026. Klopp succeeded Julian Nagelsmann after Germany's early elimination from the World Cup at the hands of Paraguay. The team now has just one point from two Nations League matches, having drawn with the Netherlands before losing to Greece.
Schweinsteiger warned that Klopp is not a magician and that rebuilding the side will require hard work. He identified a structural problem when Germany tries to play out from the back, noting that only Joshua Kimmich can make creative passes in deep positions.
Kimmich accepts the criticism
Germany's captain agreed with the assessment. Speaking to SPORT1 after the match, Kimmich said a top team must beat weaker opponents as well as the strongest ones — something Germany failed to do against the Netherlands and Greece. "We are far from being an elite team," he said, while stressing the importance of growing again.
Klopp asks for patience
The German manager called the defeat a hard blow but defended his players. He explained that the squad had only been together for a week and needs time to develop routines. Klopp said the new players did not make many mistakes and that even the more experienced players found it difficult.
He added that building a dominant playing style requires repetition and training. Germany's next match is against Serbia on 1 October in the Nations League group stage.
Pavlidis sets the tone
Before kick-off in Augsburg, the Benfica striker delivered a speech to his Greek teammates in the dressing room. He called for passion, fight and mutual help from the first minute. Pavlidis, who also provided an assist in Greece's previous match against Serbia, now turns his attention back to domestic duties with Benfica.
