Whenever a World Cup roster is announced, there are always a few surprises. Some players play their way onto the plane with outstanding club form, while others find themselves on the outside looking in despite strong arguments for inclusion. Germany’s squad is loaded with talent, but that doesn’t mean every deserving player made the final cut.
One of the most interesting debates revolves around the players who were left home. Germany has built impressive depth across nearly every position, making
selection decisions incredibly difficult for the coaching staff. Still, there are several names that fans could reasonably argue deserved a spot.
Should Germany have brought another experienced defender to provide leadership and depth for a tournament run? Perhaps a midfielder who offers a different skill set than the current options? Maybe an additional winger capable of changing a match off the bench? Every fan will likely have a different answer.
The forward line is another area where debate is sure to emerge. While the selections of Kai Havertz, Jamal Musiala, Florian Wirtz, Deniz Undav, and Nick Woltemade provide plenty of attacking quality, Germany left behind several players who have produced strong performances at club level over the past season. Was there a goal scorer who could have added another dimension? A veteran presence who has delivered in big international matches before?
The same questions can be asked in midfield. With Leon Goretzka, Aleksandar Pavlović, Angelo Stiller, and others making the squad, Germany certainly has talent in the middle of the park. Yet some supporters may feel that another creative option or a more defensive-minded midfielder would have balanced the squad differently.
That’s what makes roster discussions so fascinating. There is rarely a completely right or wrong answer, especially for a national team as deep as Germany. Every omission creates a new debate, and every fan has a favorite player they believe deserved the opportunity.
So, who is your pick? Which Germany player did not receive a World Cup call-up but should have been included in the squad? Tell us who you would have selected and why.
If you need a reminder, here is the squad:
Goalkeepers
- Oliver Baumann (Hoffenheim)
- Manuel Neuer (Bayern Munich)
- Alexander Nübel (Stuttgart)
Defensive
- Waldemar Anton (Borussia Dortmund)
- Nathaniel Brown (Eintracht Frankfurt)
- Pascal Groß (Brighton & Hove Albion)
- Joshua Kimmich (Bayern Munich)
- Felix Nmecha (Borussia Dortmund)
- Aleksandar Pavlović (Bayern Munich)
- David Raum (RB Leipzig)
- Antonio Rüdiger (Real Madrid)
- Nico Schlotterbeck (Borussia Dortmund)
- Angelo Stiller (Stuttgart)
- Jonathan Tah (Bayern Munich)
- Malick Thiaw (Newcastle United)
Offensive
- Nadiem Amiri (Mainz)
- Maximilian Beier (Borussia Dortmund)
- Leon Goretzka (Bayern Munich)
- Kai Havertz (Arsenal)
- Lennart Karl (Bayern Munich)
- Jamie Leweling (Stuttgart)
- Jamal Musiala (Bayern Munich)
- Leroy Sané (Galatasaray)
- Deniz Undav (Stuttgart)
- Florian Wirtz (Liverpool)
- Nick Woltemade (Newcastle United)
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…
Join the conversation!
Sign up for a user account and get:
- New, improved notifications system!
- Fewer ads
- Create community posts
- Comment on articles, community posts
- Rec comments, community posts
