Germany’s national football team manager, Julian Nagelsmann, has signaled his intention to make surprising choices when naming the final squad for the World Cup in the United States, Mexico, and Canada this summer, potentially leaving established players on the bench.
Nagelsmann revealed his willingness to make unpopular decisions in a recent interview with Kicker, stating, “It will be decisions that probably won’t meet with super-great understanding. Not from the player, but also not from the broad public, since perhaps a player with us is not planned for the first eleven, who is a regular player and performer at his club.”
The coach specifically highlighted the case of Leon Goretzka, currently a reserve player for Bayern Munich, who is nonetheless in contention for a significant role in the tournament. “Stand now, Leon Goretzka, despite little playing time at Bayern, will have good chances to play and have a similar role as in the WM qualification,” Nagelsmann said. He described Goretzka as a “really stable, combative six” and praised his ability to contribute offensively, a profile he believes is currently lacking within the squad. He contrasted Goretzka with other midfield options like Pascal Groß, Angelo Stiller, Pavlovic, Nmecha, and Robert Andrich, noting their preference for retaining possession.
Nagelsmann’s approach extends beyond individual player selection, focusing on how players handle a reduced role within the national team setup. He emphasized the difficulty of integrating players accustomed to being key contributors at their clubs into a squad where they may be 15th or 16th in the pecking order. “You have to pay extreme attention to how a player deals with it when he is number 15 or 16 in the squad, even though he is a top-6 player at his club. Can a player grow into such a role with us, or not?” he explained.
The coach acknowledged that some players may struggle to adapt to a supporting role, stating, “You’ll see players who cannot fulfill this role well with us. And that, as I already emphasized before the EM, is not about a good or a bad character, but about who is made for which position.”
Nagelsmann also confirmed that Joshua Kimmich will continue to be deployed as a right-back, and Oliver Baumann will remain the first-choice goalkeeper. The upcoming March friendlies are intended to closely mirror the composition of the final World Cup roster, according to the German Football Association (DFB).
The World Cup is scheduled to take place from June 11th to July 19th across the United States, Mexico, and Canada.
