National team: Shadow men on “Gas pedal”: Amiri as a World Cup factor

Joshua Kimmich was faster than Julian Nagelsmann. The path of the DFB captain, like that of the national coach, led directly to Nadiem Amiri. The national coach also cordially hugged the goal scorer after the final whistle in Cologne in the middle circle. Kimmich even lifted Amiri up in the air in the exuberance of the great relief.

“He came in and just felt like it. He tore up, had many good actions in counterpressing. He also wanted to score a goal,” Nagelsmann emphasized the verbal praise of the joker. Amiri is “always on the accelerator pedal”, sometimes even too much in acceleration mode. His pace, his lightness was good for the national soccer team.

When the next disgrace threatened against Northern Ireland in the World Cup qualification, the 28-year-old was there and set the course for 3-1 victory. “If someone had told me beforehand that it felt so good, I might have tried it more often,” Amiri joked in a good mood on the TV microphone.

The Mainz was not the only shadow man who gave Nagelsmann after the dramatically bad start to the World Cup season with the 0-2 in Slovakia and 60 mostly difficult minutes against Northern Ireland Grund.

Also the Maximilian Beier, Dortmund, which was substituted with Amiri after an hour, and only nominated for the re -injured Niclas Füllkrug on Thursday, caused momentum. And the Stuttgart Jamie Leweling edited the right side as the national coach would like.

Amiri, Beier, Leweling. They only have 17 caps together. They were not the names that experts and probably also Nagelsmann had on the piece themselves when it came to possible winners of the first international match phase on the way to the 2026 World Cup in America.

Now the trio suddenly has a meaning. In the absence of the long injured offensive sizes Jamal Musiala and Kai Havertz they become a factor. It is uncertain when and whether fountain patches come back. As a placeholder, the trio can ensure that the World Cup ticket will be solved directly as a group winner by November. And Musiala and Havertz in March 2026 do not have to play tricky knockout games in the playoffs after their recovery.

Back numbers with symbolic power

The symbolic power in Cologne was clear. Amiri wore the number 10 of Musiala. Leweling the 7 of Havertz. And Beier took over the 9 of filling jugs, even though he is a different type of player.

With Amiri, Nagelsmann has a long history. He once brought him to Hoffenheim as a youth player. Accompanied his first steps in professional football. He made him a national player again in March after a long absence. At that time, Nagelsmann already emphasized the special career path of the offensive player, who put off setbacks like the reservist time at Bayer Leverkusen.

He now plays a “leading role” in Mainz. Nagelsmann likes such stories. Such a story also told David Raum, who recalled how he was once rising to the Bundesliga with Leweling with the small SpVgg Greuther Fürth. “The boy worked a lot before. He was already busy. He should continue to accelerate,” said Raum. He spoke to the national coach from the heart.