Germany national team coach Julian Nagelsmann has publicly addressed and apologized for his controversial comments about striker Deniz Undav, calling his own remarks "unnecessary" and "far too blunt." The situation arose last month following VfB Stuttgart's 2-1 friendly win over Ghana, where Undav came off the bench to score the winning goal.

In his initial assessment, Nagelsmann had pointedly criticized Undav's overall involvement in the match, stating the player "wasn't very involved" until scoring, and casting doubt on his effectiveness over a full 90 minutes. The comments sparked debate, putting the spotlight on the dynamic between the national team manager and a player enjoying a stellar club season.

Now, Nagelsmann reveals he has directly apologized to the Stuttgart forward. "It was not right," Nagelsmann admitted in an interview with MagentaTV. "I said: 'That was stupid of me, I’m sorry.'" He credited his wife, Lena, with providing the honest reflection that prompted the apology, noting she tells him "straight to my face when something wasn’t good."

Thankfully for German team harmony, the apology was accepted. "Thankfully he accepted it, and everything is completely fine between us," Nagelsmann said, attributing his original bluntness to being "a bit triggered in the moment by many repeated questions."

This reconciliation may also signal a shift in Undav's prospects. While Nagelsmann previously suggested Undav's role as a super-sub was "unlikely" to change ahead of the World Cup, he has now softened that stance. "It can always change – but that applies not only to Deniz, but to all players," the coach emphasized, leaving the door open for the in-form striker to earn a more prominent role with the national team.