Germany

Profile

After humiliating group-stage exits in 2018 and 2022 that shocked the football world, Germany arrive in North America determined to restore their reputation as a tournament nation under Julian Nagelsmann. The rebuild has been electric: Jamal Musiala and Florian Wirtz, operating as the most technically gifted midfield pair at this World Cup, gave German football its most exciting product in decades during an impressive Euro 2024 run on home soil. Joshua Kimmich's leadership and tactical intelligence provide the organisational backbone. Germany sailed through European qualifying and enter Group E as heavy favourites against Ivory Coast, Curaçao and Ecuador. The four-time champions have the tactical flexibility, the depth and the individual brilliance to go all the way this time — and a nation that has been waiting impatiently for redemption will expect nothing less than the semi-finals at minimum from the most storied programme in World Cup history.

Germany fixtures

Players to watch

• Jamal Musiala

  Midfielder · Bayern Munich

  Perhaps the most naturally gifted footballer Germany has produced in a generation, Musiala drifts across the front line with mesmerising dribbling, lightning quick feet and an instinct for finding space. His ability to carry the ball through congested areas and deliver decisive passes or shots makes him almost unplayable on his best days.

• Florian Wirtz

  Midfielder · Liverpool

  The Bundesliga's most creative player before his high-profile move to Liverpool, Wirtz has elite technique, vision and an instinct for the killer pass. He combines beautifully with Musiala in the German midfield and his ability to unlock defences with late runs and incisive passing makes Germany devastating going forward.

• Joshua Kimmich

  Midfielder · Bayern Munich

  One of the most intelligent and versatile players in world football, Kimmich has excelled at right-back and central midfield for Bayern Munich across a trophy-laden career. His tactical reading, leadership, set-piece delivery and ability to control the rhythm of a game make him the most important player in Germany's structure.

Group E table