By Oliver Trust
BERLIN, March 21 (Xinhua) -- Despite securing the first win for a German national team on Italian soil in 39 years, things seemed far from perfect for Leon Goretzka.
"Perfect? At halftime, he came and complained about my crossings being 20 centimeters too high," full-back Joshua Kimmich said with a smile on his face.
Germany notched a 2-1 comeback victory over Italy in the first leg of the UEFA Nations League quarterfinals on Thursday.
After adjustments in the second half, the stage was set for a triumphant evening for Goretzka, who returned to the German squad after a 16-month absence.
Crossings improved, and a system change from a 3-1-2-4 to a 4-2-3-1 paid off. The Bayern midfielder's header in the 77th minute opened the door for a fairytale-like story.
While the team of national coach Julian Nagelsmann gained a slight advantage in the UEFA Nations League last-eight tie ahead of the second leg this Sunday in Dortmund, the team's resilience, fueled by Goretzka's inspiring performance, made the imposing San Siro arena shine in German colors.
After the low point of being removed from the German squad ahead of the 2024 Euro, the Bayern midfielder chose to "hide out the past and focus on the future. I kept silent until now, and I keep that."
Both coach and player admitted that the "highly emotional brief talk" from that time was a thing of the past, with recent reconciliation talks taking place at the coach's home.
"We have cleared things," Nagelsmann said, while Goretzka is riding the wave and can hope for a contract extension at his club beyond 2026.
At Bayern, the midfielder has become a regular starter after being written off and labeled a selling candidate. The 2020 Champions League winner and five-time national champion rejected Bayern's demand to leave and fought his way back.
His return to glory in the German shirt couldn't have been more triumphant, delivering the final piece of his journey back to the limelight.
The Bayern performer filled the leadership void left by the absences of Florian Wirtz, Marc-Andre Ter Stegen, and Kai Havertz.
"His journey might be a shining example for us all not to give up right away. Leon proved it's worthwhile to stick to things and not frequently comment on every little thing," Nagelsmann said.
After only one brief comment for the broadcasting TV station, Goretzka headed for the team bus. He had given his answer on the pitch. ■
