Germany World Cup 2026 team preview: Players to watch, group and squad list

The 2014 champions exited in the group stages of the last two World Cups but look a stronger force under Julian Nagelsmann.

Previous World Cup appearances: 20 Best performance: Winners (1954, 1974, 1990, 2014) First appearance: 1934 (Italy) Top goal scorer: Miroslav Klose (16) Most appearances: Lothar Matthaus (25) Player to watch: Florian Wirtz FIFA world ranking: 8

Germany are desperate for a successful World Cup after two spectacular failures – they were knocked out in the group stages in 2018 and 2022.

They certainly look improved under coach Julian Nagelsmann. Germany eased through their World Cup qualification group with five wins from six matches.

The squad blends the youthful brilliance of Jamal Musiala and Florian Wirtz with the experience of Joshua Kimmich, Antonio Rudiger and veteran goalkeeper Manuel Neuer, who surprised many by coming out of international retirement for the tournament.

However, whether the team as a whole is talented enough to pose a serious threat to the favourites and whether all the pieces really fit together under the pressure of a tournament remain to be seen.

Gary Lineker famously said: “Football is a simple game: 22 men chase a ball for 90 minutes, and at the end, the Germans always win.”

So the failures of the last two tournaments were almost unthinkable for the four-time winners.

In 2018, they crashed out after losing to South Korea. In 2022, they were defeated by Japan en route to being eliminated on goal difference.

Nagelsmann took over in September 2023 and has restored some national pride.

Germany looked decent as the host nation at Euro 2024 and were perhaps unlucky to lose to Spain in the quarterfinals. The mood around the squad seems optimistic, and they will expect to go deep in the tournament.

At the heart of Germany’s ambitions are gifted young attackers in Musiala, Wirtz and Lennart Karl.

Musiala, 23, was the standout performer at Euro 2024 and gives the team an individual spark of genius.

However, he suffered a horrific injury in Bayern Munich’s FIFA Club World Cup quarterfinal defeat to Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) in July, breaking his leg and dislocating an ankle in a collision with then-PSG goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma.

He has suffered injury setbacks during his recovery and has not played as much as expected in recent weeks, mostly from the bench. Germany will be hoping he can get back to full fitness and form before the monthlong tournament, which begins on June 11.

Wirtz, meanwhile, has endured a difficult season after his big money move to Liverpool. After failing to register a goa