Die deutsche Nationalmannschaft im WM-Härtetest: Was Nagelsmanns Aufgebot vor dem Turnierstart noch leisten muss

10.05.2026 11:30 National Team

With big strides approaching, the 2026 FIFA World Cup in the USA, Canada and Mexico is drawing near – and the German national team is facing a decisive phase. After the mixed home European Championship in 2024, when the quarter-final against Spain marked the end of the road, national coach Julian Nagelsmann wants to attack from the top again with a completely renewed team at the tournament in North America. However, there is not much time left before the World Cup starts to close the remaining gaps. Athletically, the DFB team has stabilized during qualification, but the competitive matches and test games of recent months have shown: there are still significant weaknesses that Nagelsmann must address before the tournament. Defense remains the biggest problem area Despite the return of experienced defenders, the German defense continues to lack final consistency. Antonio Rüdiger is established, but he lacks a reliable center-back at top level at his side. Jonathan Tah has established himself, yet Nagelsmann continues to experiment with new constellations. On the flanks, Joshua Kimmich – who is now more often planned as a midfielder – and David Raum are causing debate. The question of who permanently takes responsibility on the right flank remains unanswered. There is also no final clarity in goal. Marc-André ter Stegen is fighting his way back from a long injury break, while Oliver Baumann and Alexander Nübel hope for their chance. Manuel Neuer has announced his retirement, and Nagelsmann still needs to choose a true number one. Attack with hopefuls It looks significantly better in attack. Florian Wirtz and Jamal Musiala form a creative duo that, in top form, ranks among the world's best midfielders. Kai Havertz, Niclas Füllkrug and the resurgent Serge Gnabry provide variability up front. Karim Adeyemi and Maximilian Beier are also pushing for a World Cup spot. The quality is there – now it's about further refining coordination in the final third and improving finishing, a recurring problem in recent international matches. Mental strength and leadership required Nagelsmann himself repeatedly emphasizes how important the mental component is. After years of crises, the national coach wants to forge a sworn-in unit that keeps a cool head even in tight matches. Captain Joshua Kimmich plays a central role in this. With players like Rüdiger, Havertz and Gündogan – should he return – a hierarchy is to be established that gives the team support. The final test matches In the remaining international match windows before the World Cup starts, important tough tests are scheduled in which Nagelsmann must find and train his starting eleven. Opponents from Europe and potentially from South America are to simulate the level of a World Cup match. In particular, the question of match strategy against physically strong teams like France or England is being discussed intensively in the coaching staff. Conclusion: Germany travels to North America with a talented but imperfect squad. The mixture of experience and youthful freshness offers opportunities – but without defensive stability and a clear hierarchy, the path to the semi-finals will be difficult. Nagelsmann has only a few weeks left to transform a good squad into a true tournament team. The hopes of the fans are high – as is the pressure.