Following Nico Schlotterbeck’s retirement from the World Cup, defense chief Jonathan Ta has a new partner in the DFB’s central defense in the form of former defense chief Antonio Rüdiger. His playing role will also be different.
“We’re an incredibly good duo.” The phrase stuck out at a press conference on June 11, three days before the German team’s first match against Curacao. Nico Schlotterbeck said this while sitting on the podium with Jonathan Thaw. What the 26-year-old didn’t realize was that the duo he elevated would only be given about three halves at this World Cup.
Rüdiger: “And yes. He’s the new boss”
Tau need a new partner after Schlotterbeck’s injury against Ivory Coast forced the Dortmund man to sit out for several months. It will be Antonio Rüdiger, the off-duty chief of defence.
Six days later, the Real Madrid pro sat alone in the stands in Winston-Salem as an “incredibly good duo.” The second group game, Schlotterbeck’s fateful one, had not yet been played and Rüdiger became the clear replacement in the ranking of central defenders.
He said appreciatively of Jonathan Tye: “What he’s done over the last two or three years has given me my respect again. He’s had an outstanding season at Bayern Munich.” Then there was a short pause until he said the phrase that stuck with him: “And yes, he is the new boss.”
A duo with shared experience
The duo Tach (30 years old) and Rüdiger (33) have some experience playing in the national team. In 18 of his 49 international appearances, Tach started the match alongside Rüdiger. Rudiger used to be considered the boss, but now the roles have been reversed. This shows how much authority Tah has gained within the national team in recent months.
There are fewer changes in the game distribution of roles between them. Rudiger is likely to play on the right, as he did in the second half against Ivory Coast, with Tach taking Schlotterbeck’s place on the left. He also plays for Bayern, mostly alongside Dayot Upamecano.
The Frenchman, who can meet in the round of 16, has more responsibility in the opening game in Bayern than Tach. Now the 30-year-old footballer will face much greater difficulties in the national team.
Remedies and antidotes
The result could be that opponents now approach him in a way where he plays like the stronger centre-back to play the ball to a presumably weaker team-mate or into touch.
But for every tactical tool in football there is an antidote. National team coach Julian Nagelsmann has several options: from the placement of full-backs and central midfielders to the selection of personnel.
Tach also has the advantage of goalkeeper Manuel Neuer, if the national team coach decides not to move to Oliver Baumann, recommended by ARD expert Bastian Schweinsteiger, as well as right-back Joshua Kimmich and possible sixes Aleksandar Pavlovic and Leon Goretzka are his teammates at Bayern. Many processes can be adapted.
Flat, sharp passes
In Munich, Upamecano often moves with the ball into the center of the field, Tah prefers to play sharply and smoothly forward from the position or directly looks for the wingers. In particular, the diagonal pass is a popular opening for Schlotterbeck. It is easier for him to play from the left flank with his strong left foot than with Taha, who is stronger with his right.
“Outstanding,” Rüdiger called Tach’s first season at Bayern. This is evidenced by the statistical values of the opening and continuation of his game. Almost 97 percent of Tach’s passes in the opponent’s half were successful. With his passes, he created a significantly greater threat to the goal than his partner Upamecano.
Antonio Rudiger and Jonathan Ta: together in the national team 18 starts.
Leverkusen’s title-winning season can hardly be improved.
At Bayer Leverkusen, where he became German champion in 2024, won the German Cup and reached the Europa League final, Tach developed into a top-class centre-back.
The fact that he took another step forward at Bayern cannot be proven by data or impressions. His performances in the 2023/24 season under coach Xabi Alsonzo were too good for that. Tah has been playing at a high level for many years, so he is now the head of defense in the national team.
Therefore, Schlotterbeck’s position change should be quite easy for him, and the increased responsibility in the opening game should not be a problem for him.
Significant loss of maximum speed.
But one value stands out and could become a problem: while Jonathan Ta had a top speed of 35.8 kilometers per hour in his final year at Leverkusen, last season at Bayern Munich it was only 33.4 kilometers per hour.