National team: Nagelsmann’s clear World Cup signals: three newcomers and no Sané

Great chance for a young trio, new role for the captain – and a break for Leroy Sané. Julian Nagelsmann had hardly announced his first World Cup message with the squad for the start of qualification, when Rudi Völler stealed directly to the Bavarian Cup evening in Wiesbaden.

Nine and a half months before the tournament kick-off in America, the national coach sprays before zest for action. “We are very convinced of the 23 that we chose,” he said on the podium in the Frankfurt DFB campus when naming his contingent. And he expects a lot in autumn.

“We are a favorite in the qualifying group. But I already have the claim that we go through the group with a certain dominance,” said the 38-year-old. Of course, this does not mean that you “win every game 5-0. But we want to win every World Cup qualification.”

For the first steps to the 2026 World Cup, Nagelsmann relies on three newcomers. The Frankfurt Namdi Collins, the Mainz Paul Nebel and goalkeeper Finn Dahmen from FC Augsburg are allowed to demonstrate their suitability for the largest of all possible football stages in the coming week in Slovakia and then against Northern Ireland. “The three deserve it,” said the national coach.

Despite the painful failures of Jamal Musiala, Kai Havertz, Nico Schlotterbeck and the number one Marc-André Ter Stegen, Nagelsmann did not shy away two surprising personal details. The moody turbo attacker Leroy Sané and football fun bird Deniz Undav currently have no place in the DFB squad. You first have to work hard your World Cup chance at the club at Galatasaray Istanbul and VfB Stuttgart.

Sané has to deliver quota in Turkey

“Leroy is now playing in a league that is a bit worse than the German,” said Nagelsmann: “He has to prove himself in the Turkish league now, scoring goals. I don’t expect miracle things, but already a certain quota.”

Back in the DFB team, after the failures at the disappointingly run, the Nations League final Four of the Nations League in June are Vice captain Antonio Rüdiger from Real Madrid and the Stuttgart Angelo Stiller. Stillers teammate Jamie Leweling and the Mainz Nadiem Amiri were also taken into account again.

Three European Vice European Champions

In full-back Collins (21) and offensive player Nebel (22), Nagelsmann rewarded two other U21 players in addition to Nick Woltemade (23), which was already tried and tested in the A-Elf, who only failed in the final in June.

As the third goalkeeper, however, the Augsburger Dahmen (27) was preferred in front of U21 goalkeeper Noah Atubolu (23) from SC Freiburg, who was “on call”, as Nagelsmann said. Dahmen had won the European Championship title with the juniors in 2021. Now he can collect WM plus points behind the replacement number of Oliver Baumann and Alexander Nübel. “The number one will be Olli Baumann. He plays super constant,” said Nagelsmann. Baumann will be gate goalkeeper until Hopefully Ter Stegen will come back.

In addition to Woltemade, fan favorite Niclas Füllkrug was also nominated as a striker despite the most recently mixed appearances at West Ham United. The Munich Aleksandar Pavlovic (facial fracture) and Tom Bishop (appendix) have not yet been appointed after their operations.

Kimmich gets even more responsibility. Nagelsmann’s first summer plan after the disappointing last place in the Nations League final. The Bayern professional moves back to the defensive midfield from behind right and thus to the center of the German game. “We want to bring an additional order in,” said Nagelsmann. The national coach must now find another right -back. The “super-fast” Collins is a candidate for Nagelsmann as well as BVB routine Pascal.

Washington as an intermediate destination

The first game on the way to the World Cup finals is on September 4 in Bratislava against Slovakia. Three days later, Northern Ireland in Cologne is the next opponent. Group A of Luxembourg is completed. Only the group winner solves the direct World Cup ticket. The group draw will take place on December 5th in Washington. The final round with 48 teams for the first time organized the USA, Mexico and Canada from June 11 to July 19, 2026.