Nagelsmann Names Squad for World Cup Qualifiers, Emphasizing Dominance

Augsburg goalkeeper Finn Dahmen received his first call-up to the German national team on Wednesday. This selection is for the upcoming 2026 World Cup qualifiers. Coach Julian Nagelsmann also included Nnamdi Collins and Paul Nebel, who are also new to the squad.

Germany, a four-time World Cup champion, will begin their qualification journey for the tournament, which will be co-hosted by the United States, Canada, and Mexico. Their first match is against Slovakia on September 4th, followed by a home game against Northern Ireland in Cologne three days later. With Luxembourg also in Group A, Germany is widely expected to advance.

In the goalkeeping position, the 27-year-old Dahmen was selected alongside Oliver Baumann and Alexander Nuebel. This was due to injuries to Marc-Andre ter Stegen, the retirement of Manuel Neuer, and Bernd Leno's decision to decline a reserve role when called up in October 2024.

Nick Woltemade from VfB Stuttgart and Niclas Fuellkrug from West Ham United.

Nagelsmann explained that while there were other potential candidates, some were unavailable due to injuries. He expressed confidence in the 23 players selected, anticipating strong performances. Germany aims to establish dominance throughout the qualifying matches, as they were eliminated in the group stage of the last two World Cups. Nagelsmann emphasized the importance of playing with conviction and avoiding any weak phases during the games.