{"id":1857521,"date":"2026-03-31T08:51:20","date_gmt":"2026-03-31T05:51:20","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/?p=1857521"},"modified":"2026-03-31T08:51:20","modified_gmt":"2026-03-31T05:51:20","slug":"international-break-germanys-world-cup-winners-and-losers","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/?p=1857521","title":{"rendered":"International break: Germany&#8217;s World Cup winners and losers"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>[analyse_image type=&#8221;featured&#8221; src=&#8221;https:\/\/static.dw.com\/image\/76599928_6.jpg&#8221;]<\/p>\n<article class=\"sk6xmai\">\n<div class=\"content-area sa7l9jt s9mg977\">\n<section data-tracking-name=\"sharing-icons-inline\" class=\"c75t7t0 hh5424a in-line closed\">\n<div class=\"copy-button-wrapper closed\"><span class=\"svdcmki\">https:\/\/p.dw.com\/p\/5BPvh<\/span><\/div>\n<\/section>\n<figure class=\"s4bcs45\"><source type=\"image\/webp\" srcset=\"https:\/\/static.dw.com\/image\/76599928_800.webp 50w, https:\/\/static.dw.com\/image\/76599928_801.webp 129w, https:\/\/static.dw.com\/image\/76599928_802.webp 352w, https:\/\/static.dw.com\/image\/76599928_803.webp 575w\" media=\"(min-width: 0px) and (max-width: 575px)\" height=\"100\" width=\"100\" \/><figcaption class=\"c1oedowi lofg86o m4xla6a s16w0xvi rcjjkz7 w128axg5 b1fzgn0z\">Germany won both of their friendly matches in March, but not everyone impressed<small class=\"copyright c19ed66t ihwmx5 idu7i8u lxmvniw icns9en rcjjkz7 w128axg5 b1fzgn0z\">Image: Marijan Murat\/dpa\/picture alliance<\/small><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<div data-tracking-skip=\"true\" data-tracking-name=\"rich-text\" class=\"c17j8gzx rc0m0op r1ebneao s198y7xq rich-text l1evdo4u blt0baw s16w0xvi rcjjkz7 w128axg5 b1fzgn0z\">\n<p><a class=\"internal-link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.dw.com\/en\/florian-wirtz-inspires-germany-past-switzerland\/a-76538094\">Germany beat Switzerland<\/a> and <a class=\"internal-link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.dw.com\/en\/germany-beat-ghana-to-complete-confidence-boosting-march\/a-76599285\">Ghana in their March<\/a> friendlies and it&#8217;s now less than two months until <a class=\"internal-link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.dw.com\/en\/germany-national-football-team\/t-61378943\">their<\/a> World Cup squad will be announced. Who will be in the final 26-man selection? The core group of players is clear, but who made the most of the last international break before <a class=\"internal-link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.dw.com\/en\/fifa-world-cup\/t-43747820\">World Cup<\/a> preparation begins and who did not?<\/p>\n<h2>Winners<\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Kai Havertz<\/strong>\u00a0\u2014\u00a0With nearly 60 caps, Havertz is a key part of this team. Having been out with injury for a long time, his starting place was no longer secure but a return to fitness and form is timely. His combination play in Switzerland was impressive, and his roar after confidently dispatching a penalty against Ghana was the sign of a player beginning to hit his stride again. If there were any doubts about his role in the starting eleven, Havertz dispelled them swiftly in these two games.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Florian Wirtz<\/strong>\u00a0\u2014\u00a0Another player who is guaranteed a <a class=\"internal-link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.dw.com\/en\/world-cup-2026-cost-trump-and-travel-give-fans-pause\/a-76507337\">ticket to the United States this summer<\/a> but who still excelled. His two goals and two assists in Basel speak for themselves. It was an exceptional display and in Stuttgart he helped set the tone, often brave with his choices on the ball. It felt significant that the 22-year-old delivered this display in the absence of Jamal Musiala, the player who he <a class=\"internal-link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.dw.com\/en\/germany-national-team-jamal-musiala-plus-florian-wirtz-wusiala\/a-71039306\">combined so well with at Euro 2024<\/a>. It&#8217;s clear that even on his own, Wirtz can be the man for Germany when they need a spark.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Lennart Karl<\/strong>\u00a0\u2014\u00a0The 18-year-old looked steady off the bench in Basel, but in Stuttgart he exploded into life. <a class=\"internal-link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.dw.com\/en\/bayern-munich\/t-17346397\">Bayern Munich&#8217;s<\/a> newest jewel gave German coach Julian Nagelsmann a lot of good reasons to have him in the squad this summer. The agile\u00a0playmaker worked hard to win the ball back and ran at the Ghana defense at every opportunity. His desire to take on players is exciting to watch and an all-too rare a sight for Germany these days. He should have capped his performance off with a goal, but he sent the ball wide. Nevertheless, Karl looks destined to be on the plane now.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Nathaniel Brown<\/strong>\u00a0\u2014\u00a0Perhaps it is too generous to say a player who only played 60 minutes against a largely defensive <a class=\"internal-link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.dw.com\/en\/ghana\/t-64338684\">Ghana<\/a> side was a winner during this international break, but such is the concern around the left-back spot for Germany that it might just be enough. The Frankfurt defender looked more than competent when called upon. A spot in the squad looks almost certain for the 22-year-old now, and given David Raum has not exactly made the spot his own, there is a possibility that\u00a0even more gametime awaits Brown.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2>Losers<\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Angelo Stiller<\/strong>\u00a0\u2014\u00a0He might be Stuttgart&#8217;s midfield conductor and darts prodigy Luke Littler&#8217;s favorite German player, but Stiller\u00a0did not make the most of an unexpected chance. Called up after injuries to others, Stiller started both games but looked a little uncertain with the ball at times. He was also slow to close down Switzerland for their opener in Basel, a point that did not go unnoticed by Julian Nagelsmann. Pascal Gross&#8217;s decent showing in Stuttgart means it looks like this World Cup might come too soon for Stiller.<\/li>\n<figure class=\"placeholder-image master_landscape big\"><img data-format=\"MASTER_LANDSCAPE\" data-id=\"76573305\" data-url=\"https:\/\/static.dw.com\/image\/76573305_${formatId}.jpg\" data-aspect-ratio=\"16\/9\" alt=\"Julian Nagelsmann claps during a Germany match\"><figcaption class=\"img-caption\">Julian Nagelsmann knows the core of his squad but has some big decisions to make<small class=\"copyright\">Image: Tom Weller\/dpa\/picture alliance<\/small><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<li><strong>Nico Schlotterbeck<\/strong>\u00a0\u2014\u00a0Despite starting both games and clearly being one half of the favored central defensive pairing with <a class=\"internal-link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.dw.com\/en\/jonathan-tah-germany-defender-ivory-coast-roots-fc-bayern-munich\/a-72778403\">Jonathan Tah<\/a>, the Dortmund defender struggled. He was sloppy in Switzerland, twice making mistakes in the build-up play that proved costly. In Stuttgart he was a bit more stable, but still looked a little out of sorts at times. He will travel and will likely start, but this might have given Nagelsmann food for thought over the recent decision to make Antonio R\u00fcdiger a back-up.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Nick Woltemade<\/strong> \u00a0The plan was for the <a class=\"internal-link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.dw.com\/en\/nick-woltemade-who-is-germanys-new-premier-league-star\/a-73806737\">Newcastle striker<\/a> to gain some confidence this break after enduring a tricky spell in England. Nagelsmann even spoke about how it made more sense to play a striker needing a boost\u00a0rather than one in form (Deniz Undav). Sadly, the 24-year-old wasn&#8217;t able to make the most of it. In Switzerland, he did little with his 20 minutes off the bench other than head his one chance wide. In Stuttgart, he played almost 80 minutes but still couldn&#8217;t get on the scoresheet, missing a glorious chance in the first half and then hitting the bar in the second. He will almost certainly be in squad come May, but until then he needs to rediscover his form.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><em>Edited by: Matt Pearson<\/em><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<div data-tracking-skip=\"true\" data-tracking-name=\"rich-text\" class=\"c17j8gzx rc0m0op r1ebneao s198y7xq rich-text l1evdo4u blt0baw s16w0xvi rcjjkz7 w128axg5 b1fzgn0z\">\n<p><a class=\"internal-link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.dw.com\/en\/florian-wirtz-inspires-germany-past-switzerland\/a-76538094\">Germany beat Switzerland<\/a> and <a class=\"internal-link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.dw.com\/en\/germany-beat-ghana-to-complete-confidence-boosting-march\/a-76599285\">Ghana in their March<\/a> friendlies and it&#8217;s now less than two months until <a class=\"internal-link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.dw.com\/en\/germany-national-football-team\/t-61378943\">their<\/a> World Cup squad will be announced. Who will be in the final 26-man selection? The core group of players is clear, but who made the most of the last international break before <a class=\"internal-link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.dw.com\/en\/fifa-world-cup\/t-43747820\">World Cup<\/a> preparation begins and who did not?<\/p>\n<h2>Winners<\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Kai Havertz<\/strong>\u00a0\u2014\u00a0With nearly 60 caps, Havertz is a key part of this team. Having been out with injury for a long time, his starting place was no longer secure but a return to fitness and form is timely. His combination play in Switzerland was impressive, and his roar after confidently dispatching a penalty against Ghana was the sign of a player beginning to hit his stride again. If there were any doubts about his role in the starting eleven, Havertz dispelled them swiftly in these two games.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Florian Wirtz<\/strong>\u00a0\u2014\u00a0Another player who is guaranteed a <a class=\"internal-link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.dw.com\/en\/world-cup-2026-cost-trump-and-travel-give-fans-pause\/a-76507337\">ticket to the United States this summer<\/a> but who still excelled. His two goals and two assists in Basel speak for themselves. It was an exceptional display and in Stuttgart he helped set the tone, often brave with his choices on the ball. It felt significant that the 22-year-old delivered this display in the absence of Jamal Musiala, the player who he <a class=\"internal-link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.dw.com\/en\/germany-national-team-jamal-musiala-plus-florian-wirtz-wusiala\/a-71039306\">combined so well with at Euro 2024<\/a>. It&#8217;s clear that even on his own, Wirtz can be the man for Germany when they need a spark.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Lennart Karl<\/strong>\u00a0\u2014\u00a0The 18-year-old looked steady off the bench in Basel, but in Stuttgart he exploded into life. <a class=\"internal-link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.dw.com\/en\/bayern-munich\/t-17346397\">Bayern Munich&#8217;s<\/a> newest jewel gave German coach Julian Nagelsmann a lot of good reasons to have him in the squad this summer. The agile\u00a0playmaker worked hard to win the ball back and ran at the Ghana defense at every opportunity. His desire to take on players is exciting to watch and an all-too rare a sight for Germany these days. He should have capped his performance off with a goal, but he sent the ball wide. Nevertheless, Karl looks destined to be on the plane now.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Nathaniel Brown<\/strong>\u00a0\u2014\u00a0Perhaps it is too generous to say a player who only played 60 minutes against a largely defensive <a class=\"internal-link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.dw.com\/en\/ghana\/t-64338684\">Ghana<\/a> side was a winner during this international break, but such is the concern around the left-back spot for Germany that it might just be enough. The Frankfurt defender looked more than competent when called upon. A spot in the squad looks almost certain for the 22-year-old now, and given David Raum has not exactly made the spot his own, there is a possibility that\u00a0even more gametime awaits Brown.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2>Losers<\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Angelo Stiller<\/strong>\u00a0\u2014\u00a0He might be Stuttgart&#8217;s midfield conductor and darts prodigy Luke Littler&#8217;s favorite German player, but Stiller\u00a0did not make the most of an unexpected chance. Called up after injuries to others, Stiller started both games but looked a little uncertain with the ball at times. He was also slow to close down Switzerland for their opener in Basel, a point that did not go unnoticed by Julian Nagelsmann. Pascal Gross&#8217;s decent showing in Stuttgart means it looks like this World Cup might come too soon for Stiller.<\/li>\n<figure class=\"placeholder-image master_landscape big\"><img data-format=\"MASTER_LANDSCAPE\" data-id=\"76573305\" data-url=\"https:\/\/static.dw.com\/image\/76573305_${formatId}.jpg\" data-aspect-ratio=\"16\/9\" alt=\"Julian Nagelsmann claps during a Germany match\"><figcaption class=\"img-caption\">Julian Nagelsmann knows the core of his squad but has some big decisions to make<small class=\"copyright\">Image: Tom Weller\/dpa\/picture alliance<\/small><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<li><strong>Nico Schlotterbeck<\/strong>\u00a0\u2014\u00a0Despite starting both games and clearly being one half of the favored central defensive pairing with <a class=\"internal-link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.dw.com\/en\/jonathan-tah-germany-defender-ivory-coast-roots-fc-bayern-munich\/a-72778403\">Jonathan Tah<\/a>, the Dortmund defender struggled. He was sloppy in Switzerland, twice making mistakes in the build-up play that proved costly. In Stuttgart he was a bit more stable, but still looked a little out of sorts at times. He will travel and will likely start, but this might have given Nagelsmann food for thought over the recent decision to make Antonio R\u00fcdiger a back-up.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Nick Woltemade<\/strong> \u00a0The plan was for the <a class=\"internal-link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.dw.com\/en\/nick-woltemade-who-is-germanys-new-premier-league-star\/a-73806737\">Newcastle striker<\/a> to gain some confidence this break after enduring a tricky spell in England. Nagelsmann even spoke about how it made more sense to play a striker needing a boost\u00a0rather than one in form (Deniz Undav). Sadly, the 24-year-old wasn&#8217;t able to make the most of it. In Switzerland, he did little with his 20 minutes off the bench other than head his one chance wide. In Stuttgart, he played almost 80 minutes but still couldn&#8217;t get on the scoresheet, missing a glorious chance in the first half and then hitting the bar in the second. He will almost certainly be in squad come May, but until then he needs to rediscover his form.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><em>Edited by: Matt Pearson<\/em><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p><a class=\"internal-link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.dw.com\/en\/florian-wirtz-inspires-germany-past-switzerland\/a-76538094\">Germany beat Switzerland<\/a> and <a class=\"internal-link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.dw.com\/en\/germany-beat-ghana-to-complete-confidence-boosting-march\/a-76599285\">Ghana in their March<\/a> friendlies and it&#8217;s now less than two months until <a class=\"internal-link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.dw.com\/en\/germany-national-football-team\/t-61378943\">their<\/a> World Cup squad will be announced. Who will be in the final 26-man selection? The core group of players is clear, but who made the most of the last international break before <a class=\"internal-link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.dw.com\/en\/fifa-world-cup\/t-43747820\">World Cup<\/a> preparation begins and who did not?<\/p>\n<p><em>Edited by: Matt Pearson<\/em><\/p>\n<p>[analyse_source url=&#8221;https:\/\/www.dw.com\/en\/international-break-germanys-world-cup-winners-and-losers\/a-76602965&#8243;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>[analyse_image type=&#8221;featured&#8221; src=&#8221;https:\/\/static.dw.com\/image\/76599928_6.jpg&#8221;] https:\/\/p.dw.com\/p\/5BPvh Germany won both of their friendly matches in March, but not everyone impressedImage: Marijan Murat\/dpa\/picture alliance Germany beat Switzerland and Ghana in their March friendlies and it&#8217;s now less than two months until their World Cup squad will be announced. Who will be in the final 26-man selection? The core group [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[2],"tags":[226,74],"class_list":["post-1857521","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-politics","tag-crawlmanager","tag-dw-com"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1857521","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=1857521"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1857521\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=1857521"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=1857521"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=1857521"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}