{"id":669722,"date":"2026-01-02T20:47:13","date_gmt":"2026-01-02T20:47:13","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/669722\/"},"modified":"2026-01-02T20:47:13","modified_gmt":"2026-01-02T20:47:13","slug":"germany-world-cup-2026-preview-best-players-roster-history","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/669722\/","title":{"rendered":"Germany World Cup 2026 Preview: Best Players, Roster, History"},"content":{"rendered":"<p class=\"ff-h fs-16 lh-1pt6 mg-b-15 article-content\" use-external-image=\"false\" data-v-746446fd=\"\">When talking about the gold standard of international soccer, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.foxsports.com\/soccer\/germany-men-team\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Germany<\/a> is one of the first national teams to come to mind.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p class=\"ff-h fs-16 lh-1pt6 mg-b-15 article-content\" use-external-image=\"false\" data-v-746446fd=\"\">The team boasts one of the strongest r\u00e9sum\u00e9s of all-time, with four World Cup titles (1954, 1974, 1990, 2014) and three European Championships (1972, 1980, 1996). After group-stage exits in both 2018 and 2022, the team has spent the current cycle rebuilding its core with a mix of established players and emerging talent. As the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.foxsports.com\/soccer\/fifa-world-cup\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">2026 FIFA World Cup<\/a> approaches, Germany enters with the expectations that come with its history and the aim of returning to deeper tournament runs.<\/p>\n<p class=\"ff-h fs-16 lh-1pt6 mg-b-15 article-content\" use-external-image=\"false\" data-v-746446fd=\"\"><strong>How they Qualified:<\/strong>\u00a0<\/p>\n<p class=\"ff-h fs-16 lh-1pt6 mg-b-15 article-content\" use-external-image=\"false\" data-v-746446fd=\"\">Germany qualified for the 2026 FIFA World Cup by winning Group A of UEFA\u2019s qualifying competition, thereby securing a direct spot without needing the playoffs. The team sealed their place with a dominant 6-0 victory over Slovakia, which confirmed them as group winners and ensured their 19th straight World Cup appearance.<\/p>\n<p class=\"ff-h fs-16 lh-1pt6 mg-b-15 article-content\" use-external-image=\"false\" data-v-746446fd=\"\"><strong>World Cup Group Stage Schedule:<\/strong><\/p>\n<ul displaynav=\"true\" class=\"mg-b-15 article-content\" use-external-image=\"false\" data-v-746446fd=\"\" data-v-7259cf83=\"\">\n<li class=\"ff-h\" data-v-7259cf83=\"\">June 14: <a href=\"https:\/\/www.foxsports.com\/soccer\/fifa-world-cup-men-germany-vs-curacao-jun-14-2026-game-boxscore-647624\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Germany vs. Cura\u00e7ao<\/a> \u2014 Houston Stadium (1 p.m. ET)<\/li>\n<li class=\"ff-h\" data-v-7259cf83=\"\">June 20: <a href=\"https:\/\/www.foxsports.com\/soccer\/fifa-world-cup-men-germany-vs-ivory-coast-jun-20-2026-game-boxscore-647649\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Germany vs. Ivory Coast<\/a> \u2014 Toronto Stadium (4 p.m. ET)<\/li>\n<li class=\"ff-h\" data-v-7259cf83=\"\">June 25: <a href=\"https:\/\/www.foxsports.com\/soccer\/fifa-world-cup-men-ecuador-vs-germany-jun-25-2026-game-boxscore-647670\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Germany vs. Ecuador<\/a> \u2014 New York New Jersey Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey (4 p.m. ET)<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>Group E: Germany, Cura\u00e7ao, C\u00f4te d&#8217;Ivoire &amp; Ecuador | 2026 FIFA World Cup Draw  <a href=\"https:\/\/www.foxsports.com\/watch\/fmc-djweckhecv98yn63\" class=\"pointer video\" data-v-8432653a=\"\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">    <img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/hhib1uyvbsnuhm6b.jpg\" alt=\"Group E: Germany, Cura\u00e7ao, C\u00f4te d'Ivoire &amp; Ecuador | 2026 FIFA World Cup Draw\" loading=\"eager\" width=\"175\" height=\"175\" class=\"thumbnail\" data-v-8432653a=\"\"\/><\/a>  <\/p>\n<p>Group E is set for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, featuring Germany, Cura\u00e7ao, C\u00f4te d&#8217;Ivoire and Ecuador.<\/p>\n<p class=\"ff-h fs-16 lh-1pt6 mg-b-15 article-content\" use-external-image=\"false\" data-v-746446fd=\"\"><strong>Previous World Cup appearances:<\/strong>\u00a0<\/p>\n<ul displaynav=\"true\" class=\"article-content mg-b-25\" use-external-image=\"false\" data-v-746446fd=\"\" data-v-7259cf83=\"\">\n<li class=\"ff-h\" data-v-7259cf83=\"\">1934, 1938, 1954, 1958, 1962, 1966, 1970, 1974, 1978, 1982, 1986, 1990, 1994, 1998, 2002, 2006, 2010, 2014, 2018, 2022<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p class=\"ff-h fs-16 lh-1pt6 mg-b-15 article-content\" use-external-image=\"false\" data-v-746446fd=\"\"><strong>What is Germany&#8217;s Best Finish in the World Cup?<\/strong><\/p>\n<ul displaynav=\"true\" class=\"mg-b-15 article-content\" use-external-image=\"false\" data-v-746446fd=\"\" data-v-7259cf83=\"\">\n<li class=\"ff-h\" data-v-7259cf83=\"\">1954, 1974, 1990, 2014\u2014 Champions<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p class=\"ff-h fs-16 lh-1pt6 mg-b-15 article-content\" use-external-image=\"false\" data-v-746446fd=\"\"><strong>Who&#8217;ll be Germany&#8217;s Key Players at the World Cup?<\/strong><\/p>\n<p class=\"ff-h fs-16 lh-1pt6 mg-b-15 article-content\" use-external-image=\"false\" data-v-746446fd=\"\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.foxsports.com\/soccer\/florian-wirtz-player\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Florian Wirtz<\/a> is an attacking midfielder for Bayer Leverkusen and one of Germany\u2019s most productive young players, contributing goals and assists across the Bundesliga and Europa League. He was a key part of Leverkusen\u2019s 2023\u201324 Bundesliga title-winning season and has been a regular in Germany\u2019s senior squad since 2021.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p class=\"ff-h fs-16 lh-1pt6 mg-b-15 article-content\" use-external-image=\"false\" data-v-746446fd=\"\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.foxsports.com\/soccer\/jamal-musiala-player\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Jamal Musiala<\/a> plays as an attacking midfielder or winger for Bayern Munich and was named to the EURO 2024 Team of the Tournament after helping Germany reach the semifinals. He has also won multiple Bundesliga titles and the 2020\u201321 UEFA Champions League with Bayern.<\/p>\n<p class=\"ff-h fs-16 lh-1pt6 mg-b-15 article-content\" use-external-image=\"false\" data-v-746446fd=\"\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.foxsports.com\/soccer\/joshua-kimmich-player\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Joshua Kimmich<\/a> is one of Germany\u2019s most experienced players and has earned 106 caps while serving as a longtime starter for Bayern Munich, where he has won the Champions League, multiple Bundesliga titles and several domestic cups. He has been named to the UEFA Team of the Year and is widely recognized for his consistency at both right back and central midfield.<\/p>\n<p class=\"ff-h fs-16 lh-1pt6 mg-b-15 article-content\" use-external-image=\"false\" data-v-746446fd=\"\"><strong>Who is Germany&#8217;s Manager for the World Cup?<\/strong><\/p>\n<p class=\"ff-h fs-16 lh-1pt6 mg-b-15 article-content\" use-external-image=\"false\" data-v-746446fd=\"\">Julian Nagelsmann is Germany\u2019s head coach, taking over the national team in 2023 after managing RB Leipzig and Bayern Munich. He won the Bundesliga and two German Super Cups with Bayern and previously led Leipzig to the UEFA Champions League semifinals. Known for his tactical flexibility and data-driven approach, Nagelsmann was retained after Germany\u2019s run to the EURO 2024 semifinals and now leads the team into the 2026 World Cup cycle.<\/p>\n<p class=\"ff-h fs-16 lh-1pt6 mg-b-15 article-content\" use-external-image=\"false\" data-v-746446fd=\"\"><strong>Germany&#8217;s All-Time Leading Scorer:<\/strong>\u00a0<\/p>\n<ul displaynav=\"true\" class=\"article-content mg-b-25\" use-external-image=\"false\" data-v-746446fd=\"\" data-v-7259cf83=\"\">\n<li class=\"ff-h\" data-v-7259cf83=\"\">Miroslav Klose: 71 goals<\/li>\n<li class=\"ff-h\" data-v-7259cf83=\"\">Played for FC 08 Homburg, FC Kaiserslautern, Werder Bremen, Bayern Munich, Lazio<\/li>\n<li class=\"ff-h\" data-v-7259cf83=\"\">Holds the all-time record for career goals at the World Cup with 16<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p class=\"ff-h fs-16 lh-1pt6 mg-b-15 article-content\" use-external-image=\"false\" data-v-746446fd=\"\"><strong>Germany&#8217;s All-Time Caps Leader:<\/strong>\u00a0<\/p>\n<ul displaynav=\"true\" class=\"mg-b-15 article-content\" use-external-image=\"false\" data-v-746446fd=\"\" data-v-7259cf83=\"\">\n<li class=\"ff-h\" data-v-7259cf83=\"\">Lothar Matth\u00e4us: 150 caps<\/li>\n<li class=\"ff-h\" data-v-7259cf83=\"\">Played FC Herzogenaurach,\u00a0Borussia M\u00f6nchengladbach, Bayern Munich, Inter Milan, Bayern Munich, MetroStars<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p class=\"ff-h fs-16 lh-1pt6 mg-b-15 article-content\" use-external-image=\"false\" data-v-746446fd=\"\"><strong>Germany&#8217;s Team Nickname:<\/strong>\u00a0<\/p>\n<ul displaynav=\"true\" class=\"article-content mg-b-25\" use-external-image=\"false\" data-v-746446fd=\"\" data-v-7259cf83=\"\">\n<li class=\"ff-h\" data-v-7259cf83=\"\">Die Mannschaft,\u00a0Die Nationalelf<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p class=\"ff-h fs-16 lh-1pt6 mg-b-15 article-content\" use-external-image=\"false\" data-v-746446fd=\"\"><strong>About the country:<\/strong>\u00a0<\/p>\n<ul displaynav=\"true\" class=\"mg-b-15 article-content\" use-external-image=\"false\" data-v-746446fd=\"\" data-v-7259cf83=\"\">\n<li class=\"ff-h\" data-v-7259cf83=\"\">Population: approximately 83.6 million<\/li>\n<li class=\"ff-h\" data-v-7259cf83=\"\">Capital: Berlin<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p class=\"ff-h fs-16 lh-1pt6 mg-b-15 article-content\" use-external-image=\"false\" data-v-746446fd=\"\">Want great stories delivered right to your inbox?\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.foxsports.com\/newsletter\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Create or log in to your FOX Sports account<\/a> and follow leagues, teams and players to receive a personalized newsletter daily!<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"When talking about the gold standard of international soccer, Germany is one of the first national teams to&hellip;\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":669723,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[5310],"tags":[2000,299,1824],"class_list":{"0":"post-669722","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-germany","8":"tag-eu","9":"tag-europe","10":"tag-germany"},"share_on_mastodon":{"url":"https:\/\/pubeurope.com\/@uk\/115827470709724874","error":""},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/669722","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=669722"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/669722\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/669723"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=669722"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=669722"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=669722"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}