Domenico Tedesco does not believe he has anything to prove on his return to Germany with new side Belgium after previously being sacked by RB Leipzig and Schalke.
Leipzig parted company with Tedesco in September 2022, nine months after he took up the position, despite winning the DFB-Pokal in the 2021-22 campaign.
The 37-year-old was also ousted by Schalke in March 2019, a year on from guiding the club to a second-place finish in the Bundesliga.
But ahead of Belgium's friendly with Germany in Cologne on Tuesday, Tedesco insists he is content with what he achieved across his two spells in the country where he grew up.
"I love my job and I am happy with what I have already achieved," he said at Monday's pre-match press conference.
"I always want to win, but I feel I have nothing to prove to the Germans. The coach is not that important, either – the players make the difference."
Germany and Belgium endured disappointing World Cup campaigns, each exiting at the group stage in Qatar despite pre-tournament hopes being high.
Four-time world champions Germany have slipped to 14th in the FIFA rankings – 10 places below Belgium – but that is not a true reflection of their quality in the view of Tedesco.
"How is it possible that they're 14th?" he asked reporters. "At the World Cup in Qatar they had so many chances, they just didn't score enough.
"No one had more expected goals than Germany. Even if Germany were last in the FIFA rankings, that wouldn't change anything. We want to win, even if it's a friendly game.
"Germany have a few new young players, but they are players from top teams. They remain a strong country."
Germany beat Peru 2-0 on Saturday, while Belgium kicked off their Euro 2024 qualifying campaign with a 3-0 win in Sweden on Friday thanks to Romelu Lukaku's hat-trick.
The 29-year-old has 71 goals in 105 senior international appearances, but he has struggled this term for club side Inter, where he is on loan from Chelsea for the campaign.
However, Tedesco says there is more to Lukaku's game than goals alone.
"Don't judge him solely on that," the Italian said. "He is looking in good shape and was proud after scoring his hat-trick – rightly so.
"I want him to be happy. He has the qualities to play for any side, including Inter. He is a good guy and he deserves to be happy when he plays."
Kai Havertz and Nico Schlotterbeck have been ruled out for Germany, while first-choice goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois has not made the trip for Belgium.
That means a rare chance to shine for Koen Casteels, who is perhaps better known to the home fans having spent made than a decade in the Bundesliga.
"I don't have to show myself in Germany anymore – they know me here," the Wolfsburg goalkeeper said. "Germany is my second home. It's nice to play here.
"I feel a lot of recognition in Germany, maybe more than in Belgium. I am spoken of more positively here; in Belgium less so. I have resigned myself to that.
"I owe a lot to Germany and also have German punctuality picked up, but after my career I'm just going to live in Belgium again."
Aguero: City players must adopt Guardiola mentality to rediscover form
Manchester City all-time top scorer Sergio Aguero thinks that the players need to be more like manager Pep Guardiola if they are to continue their golden era.
Aguero's rallying cry came after City's fourth consecutive defeat in all competitions on Saturday, the first time Guardiola has gone this long without a victory in his career.
The Citizens have lost four straight games for the first time since August 2006, when Stuart Pearce was manager of the club and are 11 points behind Liverpool in the Premier League.
But despite their recent run, the Argentine, who 260 times in 390 appearances for City, is confident that his former side can finish the season with more silverware.
"I think City are favourites to win everything, including the league, the [FA] Cup, the Club World Cup and the Champions League," he told Sky Sports News.
"Whatever City has to play for, they'll be the firm favourites. I think it all depends on the mentality they have because it's not easy to always be the favourites."
Last season, City became the first team in history to win four consecutive Premier League titles but, with their form taking a dip and Guardiola out of contract at the end of the season, there is the potential for instability at the Etihad.
But, according to Aguero, their manager is the key to their past and future success.
That frame of mind is understandable, given that Guardiola is the most successful Manchester City manager of all time, having won 18 major trophies – 50% of the major honours in the club's history – with a win percentage of 72%.
"I think City are where they are because Guardiola knows very well how to keep that mentality," Aguero said.
"For me, he's the key man for the club so that the players have the same winning mentality.
"Sometimes it gets difficult to win and it's normal, but Pep's team has been up there since he took charge, and that's something many people don't see.
"I think we have to acknowledge he's the reason his players have a winning mentality. He's strict and he makes the team be consistent every single game throughout the season.
"We should take our hats off because it's not easy to be there with the players every day, especially considering the players we're talking about.
"All the time, he's like, 'come on, we have to keep winning!' Living that every day can get exhausting sooner or later, but he's been doing this for days, months, even years, and I think that's why City are one of the favourites because Pep never rests and he never gives a rest to his players.
"That, for me, is the key to success for any team."
Malacia makes Man Utd comeback after 17 months out
Tyrell Malacia made his injury comeback after a 17-month spell on the sidelines, returning for Manchester United Under-21s against Huddersfield in the EFL Trophy on Tuesday.
The Netherlands international has not played since coming off the bench for his country against Croatia in the Nations League semi-final in June 2023.
Since that game, Malacia has had knee surgery twice in an attempt to solve an injury that had proved difficult to manage.
The 25-year-old made 39 appearances in all competitions for United after signing in the 2022-23 season, but has not featured for the first team since.
He played for 45 minutes in Huddersfield and was taken off at half-time, although it was a quiet night for him and he rarely got on the ball.
Malacia's return to competitive action coincided with the day that new head coach Ruben Amorim met some of United's senior players at the training ground.
Luke Shaw, Mason Mount, Leny Yoro, Kobbie Mainoo and Toby Collyer were all among the players he saw while doing their individual injury rehab.
Malacia makes injury comeback for Under-21s after 17 months out
Tyrell Malacia made his injury comeback after a 17-month spell on the sidelines, returning for Manchester United Under-21s against Huddersfield in the EFL Trophy on Tuesday.
The Netherlands international has not played since coming off the bench for his country against Croatia in the Nations League semi-final in June 2023.
Since that game, Malacia has had knee surgery twice in an attempt to solve an injury that had proved difficult to manage.
The 25-year-old made 39 appearances in all competitions for United after signing in the 2022-23 season, but has not featured for the first team since.
He played for 45 minutes in Huddersfield and was taken off at half-time, although it was a quiet night for him and he rarely got on the ball.
Malacia's return to competitive action coincided with the day that new head coach Ruben Amorim met some of United's senior players at the training ground.
Luke Shaw, Mason Mount, Leny Yoro, Kobbie Mainoo and Toby Collyer were all among the players he saw while doing their individual injury rehab.
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