Predictions in football are just fun. It is enjoyable to see how well one’s knowledge and predicting skills stand up to reality. The earlier they are, the more difficult the predictions are to get right
but the more rewarding it is when one gets it right. Perhaps that is why Bild, as captured by @iMiaSanMia, published a report in November with their believed set squad members, possible squad members and outside bets right after Germany punched their ticket for the tournament with a 6-0 win over Slovakia. Here is that list:
Players who will definitely go to the World Cup: Baumann, Kimmich, Tah, Schlotterbeck, Anton, Raum, Pavlović, Goretzka, Wirtz, Havertz, Musiala, Woltemade
Players with a good chance, but not 100% certain: Ter Stegen, Nübel, Atubolu, Dahmen, Baku, Rüdiger, Brown, Koch, Thiaw, Mittelstädt, Stiller, Andrich, Amiri, Groß, Nmecha, Adeyemi, Gnabry, Sané, Schade, Leweling, Burkardt, Beier, Füllkrug, Kleindienst
Players with an outside chance: Neuer, Ouédraogo, Kehrer, El Mala, Karl, Henrichs, Gosens, Bisseck, Can, Collins, Reitz, Führich, Undav, Bischof, Gruda, Brandt, Nebel, Tresoldi
There is a lot to dissect from this list. First of all, these are extremely vague tiers. What does “good chance but not 100% certain” mean, exactly? The only certain calls made are the “definitely going to the World Cup” players and, even then, two of those players are nursing long term injuries and another in Leon Goretzka is not even an undisputed starter at Bayern Munich
But the list is full of such inconsistencies. How can Serge Gnabry, a regular starter for the German national team and Germany’s best team in Bayern, be in the same tier of likelihood to make it to the World Cup as Niclas Füllkrug, who has not been called up since June, has played less than 400 competitive minutes this season at the time of writing and has already confirmed he is looking to leave his current club in January? How is Emre Can even in the discussion after not being called up for over a year and playing barely over 100 minutes for B0russia Dortmund at the time of writing?
Ultimately, trying to predict the roster, even with the insider information Bild likely possesses, is still difficult. Things change, players get hurt, form fluctuates, etc.
But where is the fun in letting that stop us from making predictions? Tell us your predicted roster down below. And/or maybe your preferred roster.
