Germany’s Road to the 2026 World Cup: Optimism Amid Challenges

Germany is set to make its 21st appearance at the World Cup, showcasing a much-needed statement performance following a tumultuous journey through Group A. The qualifying stage began with a disappointing 2-0 loss to Slovakia in September, but the team rebounded with victories against Northern Ireland and Luxembourg. They concluded the campaign with a decisive win against Slovakia this week.

The 2014 world champions have faced challenges in recent tournaments, failing to progress past the group stage in the last two editions, which has sparked concerns about their standing among football’s elite. They suffered a quarter-final loss to Spain in Euro 2024 and fell 2-1 to Portugal in the Nations League semi-final in Munich. Under the guidance of Julian Nagelsmann, progress has been steady rather than spectacular, with the coach yet to secure a major trophy since taking the helm in 2023.

National team icon Toni Kroos expressed that the team was fortunate to be placed in a relatively straightforward World Cup qualifying group. Nonetheless, the dominant performance on Monday reignited optimism, with Matthaus describing the victory as ‘a satisfying end to an overall satisfactory year,’ asserting that the team is on the right track.

Despite recent setbacks, the former Germany captain believes the team still ranks among the contenders. In his column for Sky Sport, the 64-year-old cautioned against overanalyzing qualifying forms, noting that even historically successful German teams have encountered difficult campaigns.

“With all due respect to these opponents, Germany seeks to compete against the best, such as other group winners like England, Portugal, or France,” he stated. “If we can replicate what we showed in Leipzig, we can compete with these teams. Throughout the summer, during our losses to Portugal and France, Germany was not inferior to its opponents.”

Matthaus emphasized that if the German team maintains the same attitude, passion, and teamwork exhibited against Slovakia, they have little to fear. “One should not underestimate oneself. Germany is not small. I have consistently asserted that our team should be among the favorites for the World Cup, despite a challenging run of form. Historically, our qualifying campaigns have sometimes been tumultuous.

“The German team might actually face less pressure at the World Cup. The squad will be even more focused next year, especially with the global spotlight on them.”

As the team looks toward 2026, Matthaus addressed the squad’s condition. Several key players, including Jamal Musiala, Kai Havertz, Antonio Rudiger, and Marc-Andre ter Stegen, are currently working to regain full fitness and may not be ready immediately.

“Rudiger needs to regain fitness, as does Ter Stegen. For now, Oliver Baumann will remain in goal, and we’ll assess the situation moving forward,” Matthaus mentioned.

He added that no player in the squad holds a guaranteed starting position, stating: “Even among the current national team, few players are irreplaceable; no one has a secured spot. This keeps the focus sharp as we approach the World Cup, with everyone striving to impress the coach.”

Matthaus believes this dynamic provides Nagelsmann with greater flexibility as the tournament nears. “The best aspect for Nagelsmann is having a broad selection next year. For a coach, there is no greater joy than being able to integrate player after player of high quality into the team.”

With an eye on 2026, Germany is focusing on preparations, as Nagelsmann hopes to see key players return from injury soon. Ter Stegen is nearing a comeback from knee surgery after missing a significant part of last season and may consider a loan move in January to gain more playing time before the tournament.

Defender Rudiger has indicated that he is in the final stages of his recovery from a thigh injury. Meanwhile, Musiala has resumed training with Bayern Munich following a ligament dislocation sustained during a heavy collision in the Club World Cup against PSG.