Germany vs Hungary

It’s the beginning of a new era for Germany as they take on Hungary in their opening 2024/25 UEFA Nations League game at Dusseldorf’s Merkur Spiel-Arena.

Germany eased past Hungary 2-0 in the group stages of Euro 2024 en route to their last-16 progression, only to slump to a 2-1 extra-time loss to eventual winners Spain in the quarter-finals. It was Germany’s first victory in their last four matches against the Hungarians (D2, L1), suggesting a winning start to their Group A/3 campaign isn’t a foregone conclusion. Adding to this sentiment, ‘Die Mannschaft’ failed to beat this opposition in both encounters during the previous Nations League edition (D1, L1), including a 1-0 defeat on home soil in September 2022. Though it was a year before Julian Naglesmann’s appointment, the fact remains the Germans have picked up just three wins across 16 Nations League outings (D9, L4), meaning this competition isn’t their happy hunting ground.

Meanwhile, the loss to Germany in June was Hungary’s third in their last five matches (W2) – a massive downturn on an impressive 14-game unbeaten run before that (W9, D5). As a result, head coach Marco Rossi has shuffled the deck for the upcoming Nations League journey, handing maiden call-ups to five players, including Girona defender Antal Yaakobishvili. Unlike Germany, the Magyars have excelled in the Nations League since its inception in 2018, earning successive promotions before upholding their League A status last term. That memorable campaign featured two memorable away wins against Germany and England (4-0), forming part of Hungary’s free-scoring form on the road. They’ve found the net on 11 of their last 12 travels (W5, D5, L2).