Are we really sleeping on Germany ahead of the 2026 World Cup?

Nagelsmann Actually Fixed the Machine

Remember the dying days of the Hansi Flick era? The 4-1 thrashing by Japan in Wolfsburg feels like a lifetime ago. Julian Nagelsmann stepped into a burning building and somehow built a functional tactical setup out of the ashes. Following their run as Euro 2024 hosts, the transition into the Nations League has shown a Germany side that finally looks like it knows what it wants to do with the ball.

It helps when you have Florian Wirtz and Jamal Musiala operating in the half-spaces. The sheer amount of creative output those two generate is terrifying. They aren't just passing sideways hoping for an opening; they are driving at defenders, forcing mistakes, and making Kai Havertz look like a genuine threat up top. Nagelsmann's insistence on a fluid front line is working far better than his predecessors' rigid structures ever did.

Look back at the stagnation under Joachim Löw toward the end of his tenure, or the confused tactical messaging from Flick. Players looked heavy-legged and completely devoid of ideas. Now, you watch them dissect defenses with quick, vertical passes. The 5-0 destruction of Hungary earlier in the Nations League was a perfect example. They didn't just win; they strangled the life out of the opposition.

The Post-Kroos Midfield Problem

But let's not pretend everything is perfect. The retirement of Toni Kroos left a massive, glaring hole in the middle of the pitch. Pascal Groß and Robert Andrich are solid professionals, but neither possesses that alien ability to dictate the tempo of a match while blindfolded. When teams press Germany high, the cracks start to show almost immediately.

We saw it when they struggled to break the lines against physical blocks in recent away fixtures. Without Kroos dropping deep to orchestrate, the center backs are forced into playing longer, riskier passes. Jonathan Tah and Antonio Rüdiger are aggressive defenders, but they aren't deep-lying playmakers. Rüdiger still has a tendency to step up unnecessarily, leaving massive spaces behind him.

If Nagelsmann doesn't find a reliable metronome before the tournament kicks off in North America, elite midfields are going to run them ragged in transition. You can't just rely on Wirtz and Musiala to drop deep, collect the ball, and beat three men every single possession. Someone has to do the dirty work of circulating the ball under pressure.

Finding the Right Number Nine

Then there is the eternal debate about the striker position. Niclas Füllkrug has been a fantastic plan B, an old-school battering ram who causes chaos in the box. But can you win a World Cup starting a traditional target man who lacks elite link-up play? Probably not. Havertz is currently the preferred option, operating as a false nine, dropping into midfield to create overloads.

It works beautifully against teams that sit back, allowing Havertz to drag center backs out of position. But against elite center backs who are comfortable stepping out — think William Saliba or Virgil van Dijk — Havertz can sometimes get bullied out of the game. He disappears for 20-minute stretches, leaving the wingers isolated.

Nagelsmann has tried rotating Maximilian Beier and Deniz Undav into the mix, but neither has fully cemented their spot as the definitive answer. Undav brings a great work rate and poaching instinct, but he doesn't have the sheer physical presence to hold up play against top-tier international defenses. It's a puzzle that still needs solving.

The Defensive Fullback Dilemma

We also need to talk about the fullbacks. Joshua Kimmich has permanently moved back to right-back, which solves one problem but creates another. Kimmich is brilliant on the ball, whipping in dangerous crosses and tucking into midfield when in possession. However, he lacks the raw pace to recover when caught high up the pitch.

Maxi Mittelstädt has been a revelation on the left side, bringing incredible energy and crossing ability. But defensively, he is still prone to the occasional lapse in concentration. Against elite wingers like Vinícius Júnior or Bukayo Saka, you have to wonder if Germany's flanks are going to hold up. Nagelsmann's high-octane pressing system demands a lot from his fullbacks, and the drop-off in quality behind Kimmich and Mittelstädt is concerning.

David Raum is a capable deputy, but Benjamin Henrichs often looks entirely lost in international football. The depth chart is thin, and one poorly timed injury could completely derail their defensive structure.

Real Contenders in 2026?

Despite the midfield concerns and the fullback depth chart, it's hard not to be optimistic about this squad. The attack is firing, the pressing triggers actually make sense, and the squad looks like they enjoy playing for the national team again. The Nations League is giving Nagelsmann the perfect laboratory to test his ideas against top-tier European opposition without the immediate pressure of a major knockout tournament.

If he can sort out the defensive transition and find a midfield balance, there is no reason this German side shouldn't be making a deep run at the 2026 World Cup. They have the raw talent, a good mix of veterans and young stars, and more importantly, they finally have a manager who knows how to put the puzzle pieces together.

The dark days of getting knocked out in the group stage might actually be behind them. For the first time in nearly a decade, watching the German national team doesn't feel like a chore. That alone is a massive victory for Nagelsmann.