Flashes of Mario Gotze’s goal against Argentina in the 2014 FIFA World Cup final are still fresh in the minds of Germany fans. With the likes of Miroslav Klose , Thomas Muller , Jerome Boateng , Mats Hummels , Bastian Schweinsteiger , and Philipp Lahm forming the core of the team, Germany went all the way in Brazil to win their fourth World Cup title.
Since that glorious night at the Maracana, however, Die Mannschaft have done little to uphold their status as one of the best sides in the world. The 2018 and 2022 World Cups were forgettable, with Germany failing to even advance past the group stages. The arrival of Julian Nagelsmann has instilled new hope in the team, but is it enough to take them back to the absolute top?
Germany arguably never had the “best team” on paper, but they still consistently managed to deliver results-until catastrophe struck in 2018. Under Nagelsmann, Germany did manage to reach the semi-finals of Euro 2024, where a controversial refereeing error saw Spain prevail.
Squad Analysis
Manuel Neuer’s return from retirement bolsters Germany’s defense, which was looking shaky with Oliver Baumann and Alexander Nubel in goal. However, it is the team’s attack this year that shows the most promise.
Jamal Musiala hasn’t looked quite the same since returning from injury at Bayern Munich, but he tends to bring out his best when playing alongside his friend Florian Wirtz, who will arguably be the poster boy for Germany this time around. The inclusion of Lennart Karl, Leroy Sane, Jamie Leweling, and Maximilian Beier also gives Germany plenty of talent on the bench.
Deniz Undav looks set to be the first-choice striker for Nagelsmann, ahead of Nick Woltemade and Kai Havertz, though specific match-up selections are expected to be finalized based on the opponents.
The Challenge
While Joachim Loew’s Germany banked on experience over youth, Nagelsmann has had to rely much more on the younger generation in a bid to bring the glory days back to the country.
In terms of raw talent, Germany may not stack up as well against opponents like France, Portugal, England, and Spain. However, if they can tap into the famed “team mentality” that once made them unstoppable, there is definitely hope.
Germany’s World Cup Squad
Goalkeepers: Manuel Neuer (Bayern Munich), Oliver Baumann (Hoffenheim), Alexander Nubel (Stuttgart)
Defenders: Joshua Kimmich (captain, Bayern Munich), Nico Schlotterbeck (Borussia Dortmund), David Raum (RB Leipzig), Jonathan Tah (Bayern Munich), Waldemar Anton (Borussia Dortmund), Antonio Rudiger (Real Madrid), Nathaniel Brown (Eintracht Frankfurt), Malick Thiaw (Newcastle United)
Midfielders: Jamal Musiala (Bayern Munich), Florian Wirtz (Liverpool), Lennart Karl (Bayern Munich), Angelo Stiller (Stuttgart), Aleksandar Pavlovic (Bayern Munich), Leon Goretzka (Bayern Munich), Leroy Sane (Galatasaray), Felix Nmecha (Borussia Dortmund), Nadiem Amiri (Mainz), Pascal Gross (Brighton and Hove Albion)
Forwards: Kai Havertz (Arsenal), Deniz Undav (Stuttgart), Jamie Leweling (Stuttgart), Nick Woltemade (Newcastle United), Maximilian Beier (Borussia Dortmund)
Germany’s Strongest Starting XI: Manuel Neuer (Gk) | Joshua Kimmich, Jonathan Tah, Nico Schlotterbeck, David Raum | Aleksander Pavlovic, Felix Nmecha | Lennart Karl, Jamal Musiala, Florian Wirtz | Dennis Undav