Germany's Quest to Not Embarrass Itself, the WC26+NL24-25 Thread

Please note have used AI to support me to create this post.
Sources major news outlets, Fotmob and my own input to guide it to my final 26 man squad.

Germany's World Cup 2026 Squad: Our Pick of the Final 26
May 2026 | Analysis based on FotMob league and international ratings, recent club form, positional coverage and tournament potential

The FIFA World Cup 2026 is almost upon us, and with Julian Nagelsmann's squad announcement due on 21 May, the debate around Germany's final 26 is reaching fever pitch. After weeks of tracking club form, FotMob ratings, injury returns and international performances, here is our definitive selection — position by position, player by player, with the reasoning behind every call.

Goalkeepers — Pick 3
Germany's goalkeeping situation is settled at the top, with one genuinely interesting decision further down the pecking order.

Oliver Baumann (Hoffenheim, 35) is Nagelsmann's undisputed number one. He started all six World Cup qualifiers, posted a FotMob league average of 7.1 and a national team rating of 7.2, and has been a rock of consistency throughout the campaign. At 35 he is admittedly in the later stages of his career, but there is simply no debate about his starting status.

Alexander Nübel (VfB Stuttgart, 29) is the clear number two. A strong season at Stuttgart — helping them push for European competition — combined with a FotMob average of 7.2 makes him an easy pick. Athletic, commanding and with his best years still ahead, he is the natural heir to Baumann's throne.

The number three spot is where it gets interesting. Jonas Urbig (Bayern Munich, 22) edges it over the alternatives. He featured across the Bundesliga, DFB Pokal and Champions League for Bayern this season as Manuel Neuer's backup, posting a FotMob average of 7.3 — the highest of the goalkeeping group. He is widely regarded as Neuer's long-term successor and his experience at a CL semi-final club makes him a far stronger development pick than the alternatives. Finn Dahmen was called up in March as emergency cover when Urbig was unavailable, but that was a situational decision rather than a merit-based one. Urbig takes the spot.

Our GK three: Baumann · Nübel · Urbig

Right Back — Pick 1 (with cover)
This is perhaps the most interesting positional decision in the squad, because Germany can effectively travel to America with just one specialist right back.

Joshua Kimmich (Bayern Munich, 31) is the undisputed starter and captain. His FotMob average of 7.6 in the Bundesliga and 7.8 for the national team are the highest combined ratings of any outfield player in the pool. He was at the heart of Bayern's Bundesliga title win and Champions League semi-final run, and his dead-ball delivery, positional intelligence and leadership make him irreplaceable. He is the heartbeat of this squad.

The key insight on right back cover is that Germany doesn't need a dedicated backup. Malick Thiaw is already in the squad as a centre-back and is officially listed as capable of playing right back and defensive midfield. Nathaniel Brown at left back has been specifically praised by Nagelsmann for his ability to invert to the right. Between these two, plus Kimmich himself, Germany's right back position is covered three ways without spending a squad slot on a specialist backup.

That is why Josha Vagnoman misses out. His FotMob figures — 6.8 in the league, 6.5 internationally — were the lowest of any defender in contention, and his recent Stuttgart form had dipped sharply with unused substitute appearances in four of his last five matches. As a one-position player who covers nothing else, he simply cannot justify his place when the squad has better coverage without him.

Our RB pick: Kimmich only — cover from Thiaw and Brown

Centre Backs — Pick 5
Germany's central defensive options are strong, and the five selected essentially pick themselves once you look at the data.

Jonathan Tah (Bayern Munich, 30) had the best season of his career. A Bundesliga title, a Champions League semi-final and a FotMob of 7.3 in the league and 7.5 internationally. He scored against Switzerland in March and was commanding throughout. Nagelsmann's first-choice CB and a certain starter.

Waldemar Anton (Borussia Dortmund, 28) posted the highest national team FotMob of any centre-back in the pool at 7.3. Physical, consistent and reliable in transition, he is Tah's most natural partner and goes into the squad without debate.

Nico Schlotterbeck (Borussia Dortmund, 26) is interesting because his club FotMob of 7.55 is actually the highest of any centre-back in the pool — yet two costly errors against Switzerland in March dented his reputation. The truth is that his club form has been outstanding and the international errors look more like a one-off blip than a form collapse. He is Germany's best ball-playing CB and Nagelsmann needs him.

Antonio Rüdiger (Real Madrid, 33) is returning from injury and his FotMob of 7.05 across limited La Liga minutes reflects that limited game time. But his leadership, big-game mentality and experience at the highest level are simply irreplaceable. Nagelsmann rates him highly and the squad needs his presence in the dressing room as much as on the pitch.

Malick Thiaw (Newcastle United, 23) had a solid Premier League season as part of Newcastle's Champions League campaign. His secondary positions — right back and defensive midfield — make him doubly valuable as squad cover. At 23 he has a bright future ahead and earns his place comfortably.

Yann Bisseck and Robert Andrich both miss out. Bisseck hasn't featured in recent Germany squads, and Andrich — despite solid club numbers at Leverkusen — was absent from both the November and March squads. Nagelsmann has moved on from both.

Our CB five: Tah · Anton · Schlotterbeck · Rüdiger · Thiaw

Left Backs — Pick 2
Clean and simple.

David Raum (RB Leipzig, 27) is the automatic starter. Leipzig captain, assists machine and first-choice left back throughout the qualifying campaign. FotMob of 7.4 in the league and 7.6 internationally — the highest of any defender for the national team. Nagelsmann once said he "connects everyone like chewing gum." An automatic pick.

Nathaniel Brown (Eintracht Frankfurt, 22) is the most exciting young defender in German football right now. Four goals and four assists in the Bundesliga, a FotMob of 7.18, and the player who started the Ghana friendly in March after overtaking Mittelstädt in the pecking order. At 22, with a FotMob NT rating matching Raum's at 7.2, and the versatility to cover right back and central midfield, he is one of the most valuable squad members in the entire 26. His ceiling is enormous.

Maximilian Mittelstädt hasn't been called up since September 2025. The door is closed.

Our LB two: Raum · Brown

Central / Defensive Midfield — Pick 6
This is where it gets genuinely exciting — and where we make our boldest call of the entire selection.

Aleksandar Pavlovic (Bayern Munich, 21) is the standout player of the entire midfield pool. A FotMob NT rating of 7.5 — the highest of any midfielder — combined with a Bundesliga title and Champions League semi-final run make him a certain starter. At 21, with a potential rating of 10, he is the engine room around which Nagelsmann will build the entire team. Three goals and one assist in the Bundesliga this season barely scratch the surface of his contribution.

Leon Goretzka (Bayern Munich, 31) is leaving Bayern this summer and this World Cup will be his swansong in Germany colours. FotMob of 7.2 in the league and 7.1 internationally. The physical box-to-box profile that dovetails perfectly with Pavlovic. Motivated, experienced and a near-certain starter.

Felix Nmecha (Borussia Dortmund, 24) missed the March camp through injury but Nagelsmann's tiering report places him firmly in the squad. Dynamic and energetic, he offers something different to the other midfield options and edges into the squad on potential and Nagelsmann's clear preference.

Pascal Gross (Borussia Dortmund, 33) was a surprise March call-up and that tells you everything — when Nagelsmann picks you at 33, he trusts you. Technical, versatile and experienced, he is the squad's glue player in midfield.

Angelo Stiller (VfB Stuttgart, 25) earns his spot the hard way — through the numbers. The highest club FotMob of any midfielder in the pool at 7.29, 45 chances created this season and, critically, he started both the Switzerland and Ghana games in March, posting FotMob NT ratings of 7.2 and 7.1 respectively. Anton Stach played just eight minutes in comparison. Stiller is in.

And then there is the bold one. Tom Bischoff (Bayern Munich, 20) is our wildcard and our most forward-looking pick. At 20, he already has one senior Germany cap. His FotMob of 7.23 for Bayern — where he has featured in the Bundesliga, DFB Pokal and Champions League — is better than several players ahead of him in the pecking order. But what makes him unique in this entire 26-man pool is his positional range: he covers central midfield, defensive midfield, attacking midfield and left back. No other player in the squad can do all four. In a tournament squad where injuries can derail everything, Bischoff is effectively four players in one slot.

Yes, Bayern were knocked out by PSG last night — losing 5-6 on aggregate after a 1-1 draw at the Allianz Arena — so there will be no Champions League final appearance to force Nagelsmann's hand. But Bischoff was in the semi-final squad, played meaningful minutes throughout the campaign, and the case for his inclusion is built on far more than just the CL spotlight. He is in, and Vagnoman — who covered only one position and whose recent form had dropped sharply — makes way.

Our midfield six: Pavlovic · Goretzka · Nmecha · Gross · Stiller · Bischoff

Attacking Midfield / Wingers / Strikers — Pick 9
Germany's attacking options are the richest they have been since the golden generation. Nine spots and fourteen candidates — the hardest section of the squad to finalise.

Florian Wirtz (Liverpool FC, 22) carries the highest national team FotMob of anyone in the entire squad at 8.1. His Liverpool season has been decent rather than dazzling — seven goals and ten assists — but his Germany performances are on a completely different level. Two goals and two assists against Switzerland alone, involved in all four goals. Ranked as the world's number one attacking midfielder. The talisman. The undisputed number ten.

Jamal Musiala (Bayern Munich, 23) missed the March camp as he continued his return from a broken leg and dislocated ankle suffered at the Club World Cup in summer 2025. But Kompany confirmed he is "physically very close to his best," and his most recent appearances produced five goal involvements in four games — including a stunning backheel assist against Real Madrid in the Champions League quarter-final. He must go to this World Cup, fitness permitting.

Deniz Undav (VfB Stuttgart, 29) is the form player of the German domestic season. The highest attacker FotMob in the pool at 7.42. Eighteen goals and five assists — top German scorer in the Bundesliga. Nagelsmann put it simply: "You can't leave a striker like him at home." An automatic pick.

Kai Havertz (Arsenal, 27) is back to full fitness after a long injury layoff. His club FotMob of 6.7 reflects a mixed Arsenal season but he contributed two goals and two assists in his last five appearances and scored the winner against Chelsea in the Carabao Cup. He scored for Germany against Ghana in March and is Nagelsmann's first-choice number nine when fit.

Lennart Karl (Bayern Munich, 18) is perhaps the most exciting story of the entire German season. Nine goals and six assists in his debut Bundesliga campaign, four Champions League goals, and a debut against Switzerland in March where he posted a FotMob NT of 7.5 and helped set up the winner. At 18, with the highest potential rating of any attacker in the pool alongside Wirtz and Musiala, he is the wildcard that every tournament needs. Nagelsmann will back him.

Chris Führich (VfB Stuttgart, 28) is the player the pundits have been demanding. FotMob of 7.3 at Stuttgart, DFB Cup winners this season, and both Schweinsteiger and Hamann have publicly backed him — Schweini saying he "always brings something that's hard to defend against." He has earned this.

Nick Woltemade (Newcastle United, 23) has the lowest FotMob of the nine attacking picks at 6.6, and his Newcastle role limits his attacking output. But he provides something nobody else in this squad can: a genuine target man. At 6'4" with the physical presence to hold up play and bring others into the game, he is Nagelsmann's Plan B option at number nine. That unique value keeps him in.

Leroy Sané (Galatasaray, 30) has had only an "okay" season in Turkey and his FotMob of 6.8 reflects that. But Serge Gnabry is injured and nobody else in the pool covers that wide right role with Sané's combination of pace, power and tournament experience. Kimmich once called him "physically stronger than anyone." He stays in on the basis of his unique profile and the absence of alternatives.

Jamie Leweling (VfB Stuttgart, 24) rounds out the nine. A consistent FotMob of 7.0, a reliable season at Stuttgart, and he was preferred over both Maximilian Beier and Karim Adeyemi in the March squad. Adeyemi and Beier both posted FotMob figures of 6.3 and 6.4 respectively — the lowest in the attacking pool — and have not featured in recent squads. Leweling is the dependable ninth option.

Our attacking nine: Wirtz · Musiala · Undav · Havertz · Karl · Führich · Woltemade · Sané · Leweling

The Final 26
# Player Club Position
1 Oliver Baumann Hoffenheim GK
2 Alexander Nübel VfB Stuttgart GK
3 Jonas Urbig Bayern Munich GK
4 Joshua Kimmich Bayern Munich RB / Captain
5 Jonathan Tah Bayern Munich CB
6 Waldemar Anton Borussia Dortmund CB
7 Nico Schlotterbeck Borussia Dortmund CB
8 Antonio Rüdiger Real Madrid CB
9 Malick Thiaw Newcastle United CB / RB
10 David Raum RB Leipzig LB
11 Nathaniel Brown Eintracht Frankfurt LB / RB
12 Aleksandar Pavlovic Bayern Munich CM / DM
13 Leon Goretzka Bayern Munich CM
14 Felix Nmecha Borussia Dortmund CM
15 Pascal Gross Borussia Dortmund CM
16 Angelo Stiller VfB Stuttgart CM / DM
17 Tom Bischoff ✦ Bayern Munich CM / DM / AM / LB
18 Florian Wirtz Liverpool FC AM
19 Jamal Musiala Bayern Munich AM / W
20 Deniz Undav VfB Stuttgart ST
21 Kai Havertz Arsenal ST / AM
22 Lennart Karl Bayern Munich W / AM
23 Chris Führich VfB Stuttgart W
24 Nick Woltemade Newcastle United ST
25 Leroy Sané Galatasaray W
26 Jamie Leweling VfB Stuttgart W
✦ The wildcard pick

The Talking Points
Stuttgart's remarkable contribution. Five players from VfB Stuttgart make the cut — Nübel, Stiller, Führich, Undav and Leweling. That is the single largest club contribution outside of Bayern, and it reflects the extraordinary work Sebastian Hoeness has done at the club. Stuttgart were DFB Cup winners this season and a thorn in every opponent's side in the Bundesliga.

The Wirtz paradox. Florian Wirtz has the highest Germany FotMob in the entire squad at 8.1, yet his Liverpool club rating of 7.2 suggests he never fully hit his stride at Anfield. The gap between his club and international performances is the story of his season — and a reminder that some players simply reserve their best for the big stage. At a World Cup, that is exactly who you want.

The Bischoff gamble. Dropping Vagnoman in favour of Tom Bischoff is the bold call, and we stand by it. Vagnoman's club form dipped, his FotMob NT was the lowest of any defender under consideration, and he covers only one position. Bischoff is 20 years old, plays CM, DM, AM and left back, has already earned a senior Germany cap, and posted a FotMob of 7.23 at a Champions League semi-finalist. Yes, Bayern were knocked out by PSG last night in a 1-1 draw — going down 5-6 on aggregate — but the case for Bischoff was never just about the final. It is about taking the most versatile, highest-ceiling squad slot available and using it wisely.

The right back non-problem. Germany carries only Kimmich as a specialist right back — and that is the right decision. Thiaw can play there. Brown can play there. Between them and Kimmich, the position is covered three layers deep without wasting a squad slot on Vagnoman. Smart squad building.

Musiala's fitness race. Everything about Germany's World Cup ceiling hinges on Musiala. With Wirtz as the orchestrator, Undav as the goal scorer and Havertz as the reference point, the team functions well. But add Musiala to that equation and Germany become genuine contenders to win the tournament. Kompany's verdict — "physically very close to his best" — is encouraging. The whole nation will be watching his final club appearances before the squad announcement.

 

Nice but, no Adeyemi?

 

Süle announces retirement . I expected him to be one of the best CBs in the world , however injuries destroyed his career.

 

Injuries were a major issue but I also think he lacked the right professionalism at times, his weight was often an issue. Still had a very decent career, but you can't help but think he could have done more.

Niklas Süle recalls how he tricked Bayern regarding his weight: "Jupp Heynckes was a tremendous mentor to me. I played under him, but he also addressed the issue of weight. We had weigh-ins at Bayern on Thursdays. I didn't eat anything all Wednesday, I fasted the whole day. And… pic.twitter.com/k7u4cZEC50

— Bayern & Germany (@iMiaSanMia) May 7, 2026

 

Injuries and a lack of motivation. He didn't seem to have the drive to pursue excellence.

 

Anton Stach is miles better than Nmecha, Gross, and Stiller.
He's in the top 10 rated players in the premier league on whoscored.
Not selecting him would be tantamount to insanity.

 

It wasn't a high line that's the problem. A brilliant pass and counter by psgs #7 , who blew back the right and passed to an unmarked dembele. It was sloppy defence by Bayern who were caught ball watching and nobody picked up Dembele.

Your assessment of the psg attack is spot on, but defensively psg was far superior to Bayern.

I also wonder if Bayern didn't have players injured or still not 100% would have helped.

 

yeahh to be honest very difficult to chose between Adeyemi, Leweling, Furich, Sane

 

Adeyemi was good at the beginning of the season but has done nothing for several months.

 

He does bring an extra dimension with his pace, however the second half of this season hasn't been ideal and he has recently been injured. He is a talented player but needs to be more consistent.

On the BVB front good to see Nmecha is back in the squad this weekend.
https://www.ligainsider.de/mobile/f...-nmecha-der-bvb-kader-gegen-frankfurt-413012/

 

Jamie Leweling (VfB Stuttgart, 24) rounds out the nine. A consistent FotMob of 7.0, a reliable season at Stuttgart, and he was preferred over both Maximilian Beier and Karim Adeyemi in the March squad. Adeyemi and Beier both posted FotMob figures of 6.3 and 6.4 respectively — the lowest in the attacking pool — and have not featured in recent squads. Leweling is the dependable ninth option.

 

Furich has had a good half season this far. I would rate them as Furich, Leweling, then Adeyemi or Sane.

 

Urbig and Bischof had a great match today. Imo both deserve to be included in WC squad.

 

Adeyemi look like a wild card. He is not efficient but he does have a unique skill, a quick burst that no one can catch him. Not bad to throw him in last 5-10 mins to ending the game.

 

I agree. In Euro we missed him a lot against spain. They were very tired and we needed a player like adeyemi with his pace to kill the match rather than slow player like Füllkrug.

 

https://www.bundesliga.com/en/bundesliga/stats/players/top-speed
Furich just slightly slower then Adeyemi

 

And el Mala is faster, also has a better goals per 90. I like them both, I think both should be called up. Sadly neither play RW.

 

Sounds like Neuer is being considered for a recall.

 

I agree. First , he is not close to his top form. Second , he is not consistent ( he can play a top match then make big mistakes in another like against madrid). Third and the most important , if he is recalled will he be starter or 2nd or 3rd choice ( I am fine if he is not a starter for his experience but I doubt he would accept being anything but a starter ). Fourth , Baumann was very good in most of his matches with Germany . Why would you change him before less than a month . Finally, we already have very promising emerging keepers who can be called as 3rd or 4th choice to get enough experience like Urbig, Atobulo, and Backhaus and to avoid being poached ( Atobulo and Backhaus).

 

yeahhh agreed... Neuer has some great games and then some blunders of late... I would not take him with.

 

I personally do not want Neuer to be back in the team much as his presence will not make a difference and Germany will most likely be out in round of 16. But if I am not wrong you have always disliked Neuer and wanted to see Ter Stegen be number 1 for Germany even when he was just 19-20 years old during his Gladbach days

 

Doesn't matter who's in the final squad.

Germany won't make it past the QFs. This is the Lost Generation.