Nagelmann’s World Cup squad
One name in particular causes a lot of anger
Updated on May 29, 2026 – 5:24 p.mReading time: 2 minutes
Almost two weeks before the start of the World Cup, many Germans are still struggling with national coach Julian Nagelsmann’s squad nomination. They would have preferred to leave three players at home in particular.
Leroy Sané, Manuel Neuer and Antonio Rüdiger: The opinions of German football fans are particularly divided about these three veterans. This is the result of an exclusive Civey survey commissioned by t-online shortly before the start of the World Cup in North America.
Almost half of those surveyed, namely 43 percent, would have preferred to send the ex-Bayern star and current Galatasaray professional Sané on vacation rather than to the World Cup. Sané has been highly controversial in the national team for years and has polarized German football primarily through his body language on the pitch. 39 percent would have preferred to forego the spontaneous return of goalkeeper Manuel Neuer and the associated demotion of Oliver Baumann. Neuer is now 40 years old and prone to injuries. 36 percent of those surveyed doubt that Real central defender Antonio Rüdiger has earned his World Cup ticket. Rüdiger has recently attracted more attention with headlines off the pitch than with good performances.
Instead: Ginter, El Mala and Mittelstädt
Instead of Sané, 26 percent of those surveyed would prefer Cologne whiz kid Saïd El Mala
sent across the pond. Matthias Ginter’s survey is even clearer: the Freiburg player had the season of his life in both the Bundesliga and the Europa League, but was not called up once during Nagelsmann’s entire term in office. He could have taken on the role of the controversial Rüdiger in the squad as a backup behind the established central defenders Jonathan Tah and Nico Schlotterbeck. 33 percent of those surveyed would have trusted him if he were Nagelsmann.
Somewhat surprising: at least 24 percent of football fans would have also nominated Stuttgart’s Maximilian Mittelstädt. Mittelstädt had lost the race for a squad spot as left-back against Leipzig’s David Raum and Frankfurt’s Nathaniel Brown.
