Jonathan Tah received harsh criticism from German media and former players following Germany's 1-2 defeat to Portugal in the Nations League semifinal. The 29-year-old defender, who recently signed with "Bayern Munich" after a successful stint at "Bayer Leverkusen", failed to fill the void left by the injured Antonio Rüdiger.
"The defense showed instability without the injured Rüdiger. Tah, who is expected to become the defensive leader at Bayern Munich, couldn't cover for Rüdiger's absence," - wrote Bild, Germany's prominent media outlet.
The defeat in Munich marked another disappointing tournament result for Germany on home soil, coming just 335 days after their elimination from the Euros by Spain. Critics pointed out that Tah's performance was particularly scrutinized as it was his first match since officially announcing his transfer to "Bayern Munich".
Former German captain Michael Ballack didn't hold back in his assessment for DAZN. "The absences of Jamal Musiala, Nico Schlotterbeck and Antonio Rüdiger are a great burden for the team," he stated, adding concerns about defensive stability heading into the next World Cup.
Interestingly, Jerome Boateng, the 36-year-old former World Cup winner now playing for Austrian club Linz, took a sarcastic jab on Instagram: "Without Rüdiger better, right?" accompanied by a smiling emoji.
Tah had been one of the most sought-after defenders in the market after his impressive performance with Leverkusen, where he helped the club snatch the Bundesliga title from "Bayern Munich" in 2024. Despite being linked with "Barcelona" and "Real Madrid" - especially when there were rumors about Xabi Alonso potentially coaching the latter - Tah ultimately committed to Bayern for the next four seasons.
By the way, Bild specifically noted that Tah "should have played this role [of leader] but didn't have a good day in his first game after the announcement of his transfer to Bayern."
Can the defender shake off this criticism and prove his worth at his new club? With a four-year contract and stated ambitions to "win many titles" at Bayern, he'll certainly have plenty of opportunities to do so.
