Germany World Cup 2026 Squad — All 26 Players Named by Julian Nagelsmann

Manuel Neuer at 40 — back from retirement

Neuer retired from international football after Euro 2024. He said so himself. Then he reversed that decision and at forty years old he is heading to his sixth major tournament as a Germany goalkeeper. What makes this story even more extraordinary is the position it put Nagelsmann in. Oliver Baumann had been Germany's first choice throughout qualifying. He did his job and never let anyone down. And then he was dropped when Neuer changed his mind. That is an enormous call, and Nagelsmann made it without blinking.

Wirtz and Musiala — something special could happen here

Florian Wirtz is 23. Jamal Musiala is 22. They are the two most exciting young players in German football and they play in the same squad. When Wirtz clicks into form and Musiala plays off him, Germany look like a completely different side — quicker, more unpredictable and harder to defend against. Germany fans have been waiting for a World Cup squad to get genuinely excited about for a long time. These two are the reason this one feels different.

Two group stage exits. This cannot happen again.

Germany went out in the group stage at the 2018 World Cup. They went out in the group stage at the 2022 World Cup. Four times world champions. One of the most decorated international sides in history. And they have been an embarrassment at recent tournaments. The pressure on Julian Nagelsmann and this squad to actually deliver is not subtle. Germany hosting Euro 2024 helped restore some pride, but the World Cup is a different competition entirely and there will be nowhere to hide if they fail again.

Kai Havertz leads the line — and he is ready for it

Havertz is 26 and has had a brilliant season at Arsenal. He is Germany's most technically complete forward right now — capable of linking play from deep, running in behind, finishing under pressure and contributing to the press. He is not a penalty box striker and never will be. But in a system built around Wirtz and Musiala, he does not need to be. He needs to be the connector between midfield and attack, and there is nobody in this squad better suited to that role.

Fullkrug, Adeyemi and Schade all miss out

Niclas Fullkrug was one of the few bright spots of Germany's 2022 World Cup campaign — coming off the bench, scoring crucial goals, giving Germany a physical threat they would otherwise have lacked. He is not in this squad. Neither are Karim Adeyemi or Jonas Schade. Nagelsmann has chosen pace and technical ability over physicality. A squad built to keep the ball and punish teams on the counter. Whether that proves to be the right call will only be known once the tournament actually begins.

Who is in Germany's World Cup 2026 squad?

Julian Nagelsmann named a 26-man Germany squad for World Cup 2026. The squad includes three goalkeepers, eight defenders, seven midfielders and seven forwards. Notable selections include Manuel Neuer returning from retirement at 40, Florian Wirtz, Jamal Musiala and Kai Havertz. Joshua Kimmich captains the side.

Why did Manuel Neuer come out of retirement for World Cup 2026?

Neuer retired from international football after Euro 2024 but reversed his decision. At 40 he is heading to his sixth major tournament. Nagelsmann dropped Oliver Baumann — who had been first choice throughout qualifying — to bring Neuer back. It was one of the most controversial decisions of the squad announcement.

Who is Germany's captain at World Cup 2026?

Joshua Kimmich is Germany's captain at World Cup 2026. The Bayern Munich versatile defender leads the squad at 31 years old and is one of the most experienced players in the group.

Who did Germany leave out of their World Cup 2026 squad?

Germany's most notable omissions are Niclas Fullkrug, Karim Adeyemi and Jonas Schade. Fullkrug was a hero of the 2022 World Cup campaign. Nagelsmann has prioritised pace and technical quality over physicality, making the three omissions an intentional tactical statement.

Can Germany win the World Cup 2026?

Germany are four-time World Cup winners but have crashed out in the group stage in both 2018 and 2022. With Wirtz, Musiala and Havertz in the same squad, they have the attacking talent to compete with anyone in the world. The question is whether they can hold it together in the knockout rounds. Getting out of the group stage first is the minimum. After that, anything is possible.