Christian Wück Names Germany Women’s Squad for Australia and Japan Friendlies
Germany women’s national team coach Christian Wück named forward Cora Zicai to his squad on September 30, 2026, for upcoming October friendlies against Australia and Japan. The VfL Wolfsburg player returns to the national team for the first time this year following a strong start to the domestic Bundesliga season.
Cora Zicai Earns National Team Recall After Strong Wolfsburg Form
Wolfsburg attacker Cora Zicai is back in the DFB squad after displaying impressive early-season form in the Frauen-Bundesliga. Speaking briefly to the NDR over the phone from the Braunschweig airport tarmac while traveling to Graz for a Women’s Cup match, Zicai expressed her enthusiasm for the call-up. “Richtig gut. Ich möchte selbstbewusst auftreten und würde mich natürlich über Spielzeit freuen,” she said, expressing a desire to play with confidence and earn pitch time alongside top-tier teammates.
The 21-year-old has earned six caps for Germany so far, scoring twice. Her international debut came in November 2024, when she scored her first goal for the senior side. National coach Christian Wück noted that the young forward experienced a challenging adjustment phase following her transfer from SC Freiburg to VfL Wolfsburg in 2025, compounded by injuries. Wück pointed out that a break from national team duties helped Zicai rediscover her peak performance level.
Bundesliga Performance and Stiff Competition on the Wings
Zicai opened the current campaign with four goals across five Bundesliga matches, starting four times and leading the domestic league’s goalscoring chart. She also contributed multiple assists during a DFB-Pokal match against SC Sand. Despite her current momentum, breaking into the regular starting lineup for Germany remains a significant challenge due to heavy competition on the flanks.
Wück’s squad selection features a deep pool of attacking wingers, including Klara Bühl, Jule Brand, Vivien Endemann, Selina Cerci, and newcomer Lisa Baum. Baum recently transferred from RB Leipzig to Arsenal London in the English Women’s Super League (WSL). Wück acknowledged the depth of options available on the wings and highlighted the rising number of German players gaining experience abroad, with eleven legionnaires named in the roster.
Squad Composition and the Challenge of Player Development
The October roster includes six players based in England’s WSL among a total of eleven legionnaires playing outside of Germany. However, Wück addressed a broader concern regarding playing time for young talents abroad, noting that consistent minutes remain the true currency for development. Players like Selina Cerci at Arsenal and Lea Schüller as a substitute at Manchester United face varying levels of match exposure, prompting ongoing discussions about how to optimize talent pathways for the national setup.