Germany want to qualify for the World Cup in convincing fashion to set the stage for a successful tournament next year.

Julian Nagelsmann team is the top favourite in a group featuring Slovakia, Northern Ireland and Luxembourg, with the winner advancing to the finals in the United States, Mexico and Canada.

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Germany start on Thursday in Bratislava against Slovakia and host Northen Ireland on Sunday in Cologne.

Team wants to make statements

The team is coming off back-to-back defeats against Portugal and France at the Nations League Finals which shows that there is still a lot of work to be done, with a successful qualifying campaign to set the tone.

“We want to qualify in such a way that we go onto the pitch with conviction, that we win the matches with conviction, and qualify for the World Cup with a positive feeling,” defender Jonathan Tah Tah said at the team’s training camp.

Forward Serge Gnabry struck a similar line, saying: “The journey is important, the process of growing together as a team and achieving the best possible results.”

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Dominance the key

Nagelsmann wants his team to be dominant to “leave no doubt about the outcome” of the matches and to confirm his ambitious goal of winning a fifth World Cup title next year for Germany.

“I don’t think it’s arrogant or insufficiently humble to declare that they want to be world champions. I think it’s perfectly normal,” he said.

Germany crashed out in the group stage of the last two World Cups in 2018 and 2022 after winning the title in 2014. A Euro 2024 quarter-final berth suggested improvement but the latest results, which also include a 3-3 with Italy after leading 3-0, have brought expectations down to earth again.

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New Kimmich role

Nagelsmann’s key change from previous games is bringing captain Joshua Kimmich back into defensive midfield from the right back position to bolster the centre where Angelo Stiller or Leon Goretzka, or both, could be his partner.

The switch could open the door for Eintracht Frankfurt’s Nnamdi Collins who has been called up for the first time and could earn an instant debut.

Regular starters like Jamal Musiala, Kai Havertz, Nico Schlotterbeck and Marc-André ter Stegen are absent due to injury.

But everyone in Nagelsmann’s squad was healthy and trained on Wednesday before the afternoon departure to to Bratislava – including Florian Wirtz who limped out of Sunday’s Liverpool match with cramps.

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Strong qualifying record

Germany have never lost a World Cup qualifier away from home and only three overall from 104 games but Tah warned that especially the game in Bratislava “will be a tough match.

“They have a few players with international experience. It won’t be an easy game away from home,” he said.

He added in general terms on the group: “They are not huge opponents but you must not underestimate them.”