Klopp praised Groda as a risk-taking player for scoring on his debut.

Germany, nicknamed the "German Machine," defeated Serbia 3-1 in the fifth round of Group B of the 2026/27 UEFA Nations League, thanks to an own goal and goals from Wirtz and Groda. In an interview, coach Klopp praised Groda as an excellent and adventurous player.

Three minutes into the game, Mittelstädter took a corner kick, and Havertz attempted a header. Serbian defender Srgen Babic then inadvertently deflected the ball into his own net while attempting to clear it, giving Germany a dream start with a 1-0 lead.

In the 14th minute, Aleksandar Pavlovic made a long pass, and Havertz followed up with a shot, but it was saved by Serbian goalkeeper Milinkovic-Savic. Wirtz then followed up and scored, helping Germany maintain their 2-0 lead over Serbia.

In the 50th minute of the second half, Kimmich played a through ball to Groda, who received it near the center circle and surged into the edge of the penalty area before unleashing a long-range shot that found the back of the net, extending Germany's lead to 3-0.

In the 56th minute, Dušan Tadic took a free kick, Stefan Gudelj headed the ball towards goal, but it was saved by German goalkeeper Marc-André ter Stegen. Srgen Babic then followed up and scored, helping Serbia pull one back to 1-3. With Serbia players Dragojevic and Zivkovic sent off, Germany ultimately defeated Serbia 3-1 away from home.

After the match, Germany coach Jurgen Klopp said, "We have to gradually get used to the fact that we are a very good team, or rather, we are fully capable of becoming a great team, and I have told the players this. We could have scored more goals, but that's not what I'm particularly concerned about at this stage. We can't talk about the team's development and growth while expecting everything to break through in a short period of time."

“Our tactical coordination and attack were excellent. We dominated possession and played at a very high level. Serbia played more aggressively in the second half, while we lacked a bit of tempo. But our goal was to deliver a convincing performance, and we certainly did.”

Speaking of Groda's impressive debut for the German national team, Klopp said, "I remember Groda's performance when he played for Mainz. He scored a similar goal back then, and we already considered him a very good player."

"He's an outstanding player. He just plays his own way, dares to try and take risks, and delivered an absolutely brilliant performance. Scoring on his national team debut is quite an achievement, isn't it?"

With these 3 points, Germany is currently ranked 3rd in Group B with 8 points, and will face the strong Netherlands in the final round of the group stage.

Klopp said, "We have already taken control of our destiny. As long as we play well in the next game, we will be able to advance to the next round."

"We want to show the world our capabilities, to let everyone see what we've learned, and how the team has grown together. Right now, our first priority is to prove to the world that Germany is capable of playing great football."

Image source: Internet