Former Germany coach Berti Vogts has said that the team's 2-0 against Denmark in the last 16 of Euro 2024 was far from a top class showing and that a improved performances are needed for the remainder of the tournament.
"Against the absolute top teams, Germany must not allow themselves the type of flippancy they displayed against the Danes," Vogts wrote in his column for the Rheinische Post paper on Sunday.
Vogts pointed out that Denmark were not one of these top teams.
"However, you shouldn't praise the 2-0 win against the Danes too much, it had nothing to do with world class. It was a hard piece of work, the German team had the necessary luck in the decisive moments, and the Danish team is no longer as great as it used to be," he said.
Hosts Germany needed a second-half Kai Havertz penalty and a Jamal Musiala goal to get past Denmark 2-0 in a storm-and-VAR-dominated Euro 2024 clash on Saturday.
The game was suspended for 30 minutes in the first half due to a huge thunderstorm after Germany had the lion's share of the early chances.
In the second half, Joachim Andersen thought he had given Denmark the lead, only for VAR to spot a marginal offside. Right afterwards he was adjudged to have handled in the box after a review and Havertz converted from the spot.
"A few millimetres offside when it was supposedly 1-0 (for Denmark), then the handball on the counter-attack - those are bitter decisions from the Danish point of view. I would have liked to see what would have happened if the a penalty like that had been given against Germany," Vogts said.
He praised, however, the performance of defender Antonio Rüdiger, who was doubtful before the game due to an injury.
"Rüdiger played strongly, he always threw himself into it, he contributed to the team. Great! His celebration after blocking a ball makes it clear: Nobody is on an ego trip here, everyone is out there for each other."
Vogts coached Germany from 1990 to 1998 and led to their last title at Euros in 1996.
