Germany played their best international game in a long time against Slovakia. Several players stand out positively.
Benjamin Zurmühl reports from Leipzig
A transformed German national team played brilliantly against Slovakia and completed qualification for the 2026 World Cup with a long-missed football party. In the end there was a convincing 6:0 (4:0) victory, which is due not only to the players but also to Julian Nagelsmann.
“The coach prepared us extremely well, set us up well and gave us really good words. In the end it was a very, very strong game,” said Joshua Kimmich on ZDF. “The World Cup is the biggest thing there is. In Germany you’re not used to it being in the balance. That’s why I’m very, very happy.” The captain returned to the pitch after a compulsory break and was supposed to get going in order to prevent a sleeper start like the bumpy 2-0 in Luxembourg. And he succeeded.
The DFB team had several decent chances in the first 15 minutes. Serge Gnabry with a header (4th minute), Nico Schlotterbeck after a corner (9th) and Florian Wirtz (15th) after Kimmich won the ball strongly did not take advantage of this. The offensively oriented DFB team left no doubt that they wanted to decide the game themselves and, above all, early on – and not speculate on a draw that was also sufficient.
The liberated double packer Leroy Sané (36th and 41st minutes), serial goalscorer Nick Woltemade (18th) and Gnabry (29th) set the stage in the first half. Ridle Baku (67′) and newcomer Assan Ouédraogo (79′) just two minutes after his substitution improved the result in their home game in Leipzig against their helpless pursuers from Slovakia with a six-goal difference.
The offensive around Woltemade and Gnabry impressed with courageous and imaginative football. The Newcastle United striker concluded: “We’re happy that we were able to play a game like that. It’s very, very relieving.” In addition to his goal, Woltemade also shone in his interaction with Florian Wirtz and became the best German player on the pitch.