Germany: Four-Time World Cup Winners, Last Triumph in 2014
Published 5 June 2026
Get the full overview of each squad competing at the 2026 World Cup. Here, we take a closer look at European heavyweight Germany.
**What can I expect from Germany?**
Despite being four-time champions, Germany's most recent World Cup knockout match remains the victorious final from 2014. Two consecutive group-stage eliminations have followed, painting a narrative of diminishing dominance.
However, hosting Euro 2024 revived the picture somewhat. It evoked memories of the 2006 World Cup, that sun-drenched home tournament that introduced a fresh, youthful, and inventive squad embraced by the nation as a reflection of itself.
Once more, there was hope, there was flair, there was... yet another 119th-minute defeat at the hands of the eventual champions.
Last year's Nations League Finals provided a dose of reality, and they subsequently lost to Slovakia in qualifying. So the outlook is mixed. At the previous two World Cups, they lost their opening match and never recovered.
Therefore, all attention turns to Curacao on 14 June in Houston β will Germany face a problem?
**What are Germany's strengths?**
Elite attacking midfielders, including Jamal Musiala and Florian Wirtz, roaming and creating chances represent Germany's strongest area.
The late return of goalkeeper Manuel Neuer has eased concerns at the defensive end.
**And what about their weaknesses?**
Musiala is unlikely to be fully fit, and the candidates for the striker role have endured inconsistent seasons, due to injury or being deployed out of position.
Finding the right balance from the double midfield pivot will also prove difficult.
Nevertheless, the biggest hurdle to advancement could be the looming prospect of facing France in the last 16.
**How might Germany line up?**
**Which players should I look out for?**
Much depends on the fitness of Bayern Munich playmaker Jamal Musiala, who returned to action in January after breaking his leg and dislocating an ankle at the Club World Cup last summer. He played his first 90 minutes since March against Finland on 31 May.
Whether to deploy a recognized striker or not has been a long-standing debate in Germany. The current approach is a 4-2-3-1 formation, with Arsenal's Kai Havertz leading the line.
The final remaining link to the 2014 triumph, goalkeeper Manuel Neuer surprised and/or delighted much of the nation by reversing his international retirement for one final World Cup, his fifth.
Jamal Musiala played his first game in 196 days in January, but injury issues quickly reappeared.
**Who is Germany's head coach?**
It has been a decade since Julian Nagelsmann, then 28, took charge at Hoffenheim and guided them to the Champions League. He then took Leipzig to the semi-finals, but was dismissed at Bayern. He is 16 months younger than goalkeeper Manuel Neuer.
**How did Germany qualify?**
They bounced back from an opening defeat in Slovakia β only their fourth-ever loss in World Cup qualifying β to win four consecutive matches and top the group.
**Where can I watch Germany?**
All of Germany's matches will also be covered live on the BBC Sport website and app, with updates, analysis, and fan reaction. Come and be part of it!
**Give me a fact to impress my friends**
With no traditional centre-forward in the Germany squad, the excited recipient of the Number 9 jersey is Stuttgart winger Jamie Leweling.
Upon hearing the news, he changed his Instagram profile picture to an image of his face, with Ronaldo's (in)famous triangle haircut from 2002.
**Now give me some proper detail**
Ultimately, it was a Japanese cross, kept in play by millimetres before being bundled into the Spanish net, that caused Germany's group-stage exit from Qatar 2022. The thickness of a thermally-bonded polyurethane panel β the difference between moving on and going home.
But even the most devoted fan of Die Mannschaft would acknowledge broader factors at play to explain Germany's second consecutive World Cup failure.
Some pundits argued that their traditional values, centered on physicality, were obsolete, and that the coaching system should instead promote freedom of expression. In defense of tradition, Germany legend Bastian Schweinsteiger blamed former Bayern coach Pep Guardiola for importing "short-pass" football into the Bundesliga, which spread contagiously, eroding those traditional values.
It is doubtful any of the old guard, who succeeded through mental toughness and reliability, would ever have imagined a German World Cup campaign unraveling in chaos as the goalkeeper lost possession while dribbling around the edge of the opposition box, as Manuel Neuer did in 2018.
So coach Julian Nagelsmann has had to grapple with the arguments above β what should his Germany be? The available evidence suggests a blend of flair and solid fundamentals. The former, at least, should not be an issue.
**How have Germany performed at previous World Cups?**
Germany's tally of eight finals is a record. Since winning their fourth World Cup in 2014, they have been eliminated in the group stage in both Russia and Qatar, winning only one match at each tournament.
**Related topics**
Football
Germany
FIFA World Cup 2026