By Karolos Grohmann
BERLIN, June 1 (Reuters) - Germany have set their sights firmly on a fifth World Cup trophy but not many at home share coach Julian Nagelsmann's optimism.
The Germans go into the tournament co-hosted by Mexico, Canada and the United States after shock first-round exits in 2018 and 2022.
The four-times champions have not tasted international success since winning their last World Cup title in Brazil in 2014.
For Nagelsmann it is time to restore Germany's dented international reputation
and turn the team into a tournament powerhouse once more.
Under Nagelsmann, who took over in September 2023, Germany reached the last eight at Euro 2024 on home soil but they have never managed to convince their fans they will be among the small group of genuine title contenders this year, along with teams such as Spain, France and defending champions Argentina.
"It hurts, also that we now have to wait two years to be World Cup winners," Nagelsmann said following their Euro 2024 loss to Spain. He has never changed his goal since, repeating at every opportunity that his team are going all the way.
Despite qualifying comfortably with five wins and one defeat, Nagelsmann's side have been far from impressive in recent friendlies -- a 4-3 comeback win over Switzerland and a last-gasp 2-1 victory over Ghana.
It is not that Germany lack talent, with Kai Havertz, Florian Wirtz and Jamal Musiala forming a formidable front line when fit.
But constant changes to the lineup, injuries and a string of off-pitch Nagelsmann faux-pas, including having to apologise to his striker Deniz Undav for negative comments about his performance despite him scoring a last-minute winner against Ghana, have not endeared him to fans.
"If Germany manage to become a cohesive team, even though the coach has never managed to field the same starting 11 twice in a row, then we have a chance," said Bayern Munich supremo Uli Hoeness, a World Cup winner in 1974.
"I blame Julian for that and I've already told him that personally."
Former Bayern coach Nagelsmann has faced considerable criticism in recent months for decisions including his U-turn to name 40-year-old Manuel Neuer as his starting World Cup goalkeeper despite him not representing his country since 2024.
But the coach has stuck to his guns, backing his own plans to pay off on the biggest stage.
"If he's successful, I'll be the first to congratulate him," Hoeness said. "If not, then things will be tough for him."
(Reporting by Karolos Grohmann, editing by Ed Osmond)
