Germany World Cup 2026 squad: Lineup and tactics for Paraguay

Germany are one of the heavyweights of the international game, but despite netting ten times in their group, they haven’t entirely convinced thus far. As the cliché goes, however, you can never rule them out.

Julian Nagelsmann’s side swept tournament debutants Curaçao aside 7-1, but were then second best for large spells against the Ivory Coast – eventually turning a 1-0 deficit around thanks to Deniz Undav’s brace off the bench.

That confirmed Die Mannschaft as group winners, but questions remain after a poor performance against Ecuador in matchday 3. The South Americans were brilliant and beat them 2-1 to also qualify from Group E.

German fans and media don’t believe the current crop is as strong as that which last achieved major tournament success around at the start of the previous decade, but they have at least avoided a third early plane home in a row after winning it in 2014. They’ll need to up their game, however, against Paraguay in the Round of 32.

Check out our latest World Cup match betting tips and predictions ahead of today’s games

Germany World Cup 2026 squad and predicted lineup: key takeaways

• Germany have crashed out of the group stage at the last two World Cups, making their tournament pedigree a genuine caution against backing them deep into the knockout rounds despite their quality on paper.
• While he may be their starting striker, Kai Havertz is noted as not a natural centre-forward. Deniz Undav – having scored three times as a substitute – is giving Nagelsmann a selection headache and is also making for an interesting choice in Golden Boot and Team Top Scorer markets.
• Antonio Rüdiger is the strongest Germany pick in the cards market, with a well-documented tendency to overstep the mark defensively and an injury-hit season that may affect his timing in physical duels.
• The loss of İlkay Gündoğan, Toni Kroos, and Thomas Müller since Euro 2024 represents a significant drop in midfield experience and leadership, making Germany more reliant on Nagelsmann’s coaching than any previous incarnation of this squad.
• Nagelsmann being out of contract in 2028 and this potentially being his only World Cup creates a managerial motivation factor that could influence tactical decisions in tight knockout games, particularly around risk-taking when chasing a result.

Julian Nagelsmann a top coach

Julian Nagelsmann is one of the best managers at the World Cup. This is not a vintage Germany squad, so their coach is one of their biggest assets.

A bright tactician, Nagelsmann’s Germany looked like a club side at Euro 2024 with an energetic and intense approach in and out of possession. 

This will probably be Nagelsmann’s first and last World Cup as Germany boss, with the former Bayern Munich honcho out of contract in 2028. That will make him doubly determined to go all the way this summer.

The star player: Jamal Musiala

Jamal Musiala missed a large chunk of the club season with serious leg break sustained during the Club World Cup last summer, but the England-born attacking midfielder looks sharp. He’s supremely gifted, possessing excellent poise, balance and footwork in tight areas of the pitch.

Musiala is quick and strong too, and Nagelsmann will want to see him break into the box when the ball is out wide. The Bayern Munich man will be at the heart of many of his team’s attacking moves.

He teamed up nicely with Florian Wirtz at the Euros two years ago, and he has the attributes to be both a creator and converter of chances at World Cup 2026.

Musiala is Germany’s most important player.

Germany 2026 World Cup confirmed 26-man squad

How Germany lined up against Ecuador

Despite having sewn up qualification and first place in the group, Nagelsmann made just two switches to the lineup. From the way they played, however, you’d have been forgiven for thinking he’d rung the changes.

Antonio Rüdiger replaced Nico Schlotterbeck at centre half, while David Raum came in at left back in place of Bayern Munich-bound Nathaniel Brown. Leroy Sané, Jamal Musiala and Florian Wirtz continued as the playmaking trio behind Kai Havertz. Deniz Undav must be wondering what more he needs to do to earn a start!

This will be Nagelsmann’s second tournament in charge, and his side impressed at Euro 2024. They bowed out at the quarter-final stage, but only after giving eventual champions Spain their toughest test.

At World Cups, however, it has been a different story in recent times. Since winning it in 2014, Germany endured nightmare tournaments in Russia and Qatar – crashing out of the group in both.

Having won the first two games, Die Mannschaft have already prevented an unwanted hat trick, but they also need to end their drought of knockout stage wins.

How to bet on the Germany World Cup squad

There are specific betting markets relevant to the Germany starting XI for World Cup 2026. One of the most obvious is the anytime goalscorer market.

Although Kai Havertz has been Germany’s starting centre-forward so far, Deniz Undav has scored more goals in fewer minutes, and Jamal Musiala may also emerge as a goal threat.

For value, consider Leon Goretzka and his darts into the box. 

Another individual player market worth watching is cards. Antonio Rüdiger is a strong contender here. A rugged defender who does not like to give opposition strikers time on the ball, the Real Madrid man has been known to overstep the mark. Before placing your Germany bet builder, make sure you take advantage of the latest World Cup free bets to boost your potential returns.

Is there a chance of Germany winning World Cup?

There’s a chance, but Germany are a clear notch below the leading group of favourites. Bookies evaluate the team odds for World Cup somewhere in the range of 20/1, depending on the bookmakers. And the reason for that is simple – if they get past Paraguay, they’ll likely have to face France in the last 16.

FAQ about the 2026 Germany World Cup squad

1. How many times have Germany won the World Cup?

Germany have won the World Cup four times, which means only Brazil have had more success on the biggest stage of all.

Their maiden triumph came in 1954, when they upset Hungary in the final. West Germany beat the Netherlands in the 1974 showpiece, and they were also triumphant in 1990 and 2014.

2. Which players are injured and missing from the squad?

Serge Gnabry may well have been in Nagelsmann’s plans if fit, but he was ruled out after tearing his abductor.

Goalkeeper Marc-Andre ter Stegen was unable to recover from a thigh injury.

3. Are there any changes to Germany’s usual starting 11?

İlkay Gündoğan and Toni Kroos were still anchoring Germany’s midfield at Euro 2024, but the former has retired from international duty and the latter hung up his boots altogether following that tournament.

Thomas Müller has also departed the scene and, having switched to the MLS at club level, may have faced an uphill battle to be selected in any case.

About the author

Greg Lea

Greg Lea is a freelance football writer from London. He predominantly covers the Premier League and has had work published by the Guardian, FourFourTwo, ESPN and others.

Follow Greg on X: @GregLeaFootball

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