Germany will face off with Finland in a match to help figure out some of the finer details for Julian Nagelsmann’s plan at the World Cup.
In a weird way, Germany is starting from scratch once again as it will look to finalize a few starting positions, slot other players into defined roles, and try to build some chemistry ahead of the tournament.
Of course, many other countries are much more settled, but Germany has been in a state of flux for almost 10 years. Nagelsmann’s insatiable need to tinker
has followed him to the German national team and he might have to get some of that out of his system in the next two games before the squad gets moving with World Cup matches. Here is to hoping that his mad scientist ways are beneficial (and not detrimental) to Die Mannschaft!
Let’s dive into the details!
Location: Mewa Arena, Mainz, Germany
Date: May 31st, 2026
Kickoff: 8:45PM Local time | 2:45PM EDT | 11:45AM PDT
TV/streaming: ESPN+, Find Your Country
Team news
German national team boss Julian Nagelsmann revealed some key parts to his lineup, which not many saw coming. Lennart Karl and Deniz Undav will start. If you remember, Undav was sort of slighted Nagelsmann just a few months ago, but now will lead the frontline (at least until Kai Havertz is done his duty with Arsenal).
It still feels like this team needs a double pivot of Joshua Kimmich and Aleksandar Pavlović to be at its best, but Kimmich will play right-back and Pavlović will be joined by Felix Nmecha in the central midfield. Everyone else looks pretty solid in their standing as a starter.
Player status updates:
- Manuel Neuer, out (calf) — Neuer is still working through the calf issue he picked up at the end of his Bayern Munich season.
- Kai Havertz, out (Champions League) — Havertz is in Budapest, Hungary attempting to help Arsenal dethrone Paris Saint-Germain in the Champions League.
Three things to know about Germany:
- Julian Nagelsmann is trying to sort out his lineup for the World Cup, so expect a lot of different looks against Finland and next week against the United States.
- Right now, only the starting backline (Tah, Schlotterbeck, Raum, Kimmich) and two attackers (Wirtz, Musiala) appear to be totally solid in their starting roles. Once Neuer returns he will start as well, but there is competition in every other spot. Havertz is expected to start when he returns as well, but he could have to battle for minutes.
- Lennart Karl is going to get his chance to shine. The youngster’s ascension this season from youth team player to potential German national team starter has been wild.
Three things to know about (opponent):
- Finland is not in the World Cup, so this is all exploratory for them.
- The Finns will also play Hungary later this week as well.
- Finland is truly a team that is more about the sum if its part than any individual brilliance.
Prediction: Germany 3-0 Finland
While you’re here, do consider listening to the latest episode of Bavarian Podcast Works! Check us out on Spotify! You may also read some of our other articles below:
If you are looking for more Bayern Munich and German national team coverage, check out the latest episodes of Bavarian Podcast Works, which you can get on Acast, Spotify, Apple, or any leading podcast distributor…
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