For the third straight time, Germany are one of the disappointing teams in the finals, as they haven’t won a knockout game since winning it all in 2014 under then-head coach Joachim Low. After back-to-back group-stage exits in 2018 and 2022, Die Mannschaft progressed to the Round of 32, where they failed to get over the hump.
Julian Nagelsmann’s side finished on top of Group E with six points after notching two wins and one loss. They opened their finals campaign with a 7-1 whacking of minnows Curacao and followed it up with a 2-1 win over Ivory Coast. Since then, they lost 2-1 to Ecuador in the group-stage finale before bowing out to Paraguay via penalties.
There’s a lot to unpack for Die Mannschaft supporters now that their World Cup 2026 is over. Without further ado, let’s discuss what went wrong for them this year.
Offence was not a problem for Germany, defence was
Before losing to Paraguay, Germany boasted one of the best offences in the finals. During the group stage, Julian Nagelsmann’s side registered 10 goals while conceding four for a healthy goal difference of +6, which gave them the edge over Ivory Coast, with whom they are level in points.
Die Mannschaft flexed their credentials against Curacao, with six players on the scoresheet. Deniz Undav’s brace led Germany to a successful come-from-behind win over Ivory Coast. Leroy Sane scored one of the fastest goals in World Cup history when he found the back of the net within the opening two minutes before losing 2-1 to Ecuador. They also scored in regulation against Paraguay, and they converted three penalties in the shootout, but those World Cup 2026 highlights wasn’t enough.
Kai Havertz and Deniz Undav led Germany with three goals apiece, while Jamal Musiala, Nathaniel Brown, Felix Nmecha, Leroy Sane, and Nico Schlotterbeck have one goal each (in regulation). If you count the penalties in the shootout against Paraguay, Musiala would have two goals, while Nadiem Amiri and Joshua Kimmich have one.
Nagelsmann didn’t even use the likes of Maximilian Beier, Nick Woltemade, Jamie Leweling, Angelo Stiller, and Assan Ouedraogo much in the finals. This goes to show how deep Die Mannschaft were in the final third, hence the favourable pre-tournament SBOTOP World Cup 2026 odds.
So what went wrong for Germany?
Bayern Munich legend Philipp Lahm recently delivered his critique of the German national team, and the central point of his thesis was their lack of identity under head coach Julian Nagelsmann because there has been a seemingly never-ending debate about how Germany actually want to play.
Lahm argued that Nagelsmann’s possession-based football is unsuitable for the current crop of players he has, and that Germany’s true identity lies in a fast-paced game, which has served them well for years. He wanted Nagelsmann to play Joshua Kimmich in central midfield, Kai Havertz up front, and Florian Wirtz as the No. 10, among others.
Nagelsmann played Kimmich out of position, as the Bayern Munich midfielder often played at right-back, with Aleksandar Pavlovic and Felix Nmecha taking over the middle of the park. Furthermore, Florian Wirtz was primarily a makeshift left-sided winger, with Musiala as the No. 10.
Lahm also criticised the team’s lack of defensive steel. In this year’s competition, Germany failed to secure a clean sheet, and Lahm felt that duels, timing, and the willingness to throw oneself into tackles were no longer taught, unlike South Americans.
To Lahm’s point, Germany’s backline fell apart when Nico Schlotterbeck sustained a serious ankle injury against Ivory Coast, which knocked him out of the tournament, since his replacement, an older Antonio Rudiger, didn’t offer the same control and steadiness.
Is Klopp the man to fix Germany?
After exiting the Round of 32, Julian Nagelsmann confirmed he’ll no longer be Germany’s head coach. A few days later, reports indicated that Jürgen Klopp is set to take over soon. Klopp hasn’t coached since resigning from Liverpool in 2024, and the 59-year-old currently serves as the Head of Global Soccer for Red Bull.
Klopp’s impending appointment could be music to Germany fans’ ears since he is known for his “heavy metal football,” where the approach centres on intense pressing, quick transitions, and counterattacks to overwhelm opponents rather than playing at a slow, methodical pace. With a strong core of youngsters at his disposal, Klopp should have the requisite personnel to play his style.
Germany are back to square one in the aftermath of this year’s World Cup. But with Klopp arriving soon, Die Mannschaft don’t necessarily need a full-scale rebuild.
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