German international matches are pending
Has Nagelsmann already betrayed his plan?
28.08.2025 – 2:09 p.m.Reading time: 3 min.
When it comes to knowing the squad for the World Cup qualification in September, a detail catches the eye. This may reveal more about the national coach’s plans.
The goal is clear: the German national team wants to go to the World Cup in the USA, Canada and Mexico. But before the DFB team can play for the world championship in overseas, the qualification for the tournament must first be managed. The undertaking starts in September when the German selection first meets Slovakia in Bratislava and then in Cologne on Northern Ireland.
On Wednesday, national coach Julian Nagelsmann announced his squad for these first two games on the way to the World Cup. The 38-year-old called Dahmen from FC Augsburg, Namdi Collins by Eintracht Frankfurt and Paul Nebel from FSV Mainz 05 surprisingly three newcomers to the contingent. The long -time regular Leroy Sané, who switched from FC Bayern to Galatasaray Istanbul in summer, was again missing on the nomination list. However, this also had another exciting detail.
As always in the Nagelsmann era, Robert Andrich was nominated for the national team. But this time the captain of Bayer Leverkusen did not find himself in the “midfielder” category, but was listed under the “defender” column. An indication of the national coach’s new plans.
Since his debut on the sidelines of the German national team, Nagelsmann had his team mainly acted in a 4-2-3-1 system. Only in the 0: 2 in Austria in November 2023 and the 3: 3 against Italy in March of this year and the 1-2 win over Portugal in June, the ex-Bavaria coach chose a 3-4-2-1 system, accordingly decided on a three-way chain in defense. Nagelsmann may already return to this idea against Slovakia.
Because: Robert Andrich has so far completed all of his 18 caps under the national coach as a central or defensive midfielder. The fact that the 30-year-old is now listed as a defender indicates that Nagelsmann planned him as a central defender in the upcoming games. In this position, Andrich has always helped out in the club in the past – mostly as part of a chain of three.
The theory that Nagelsmann wants to appear against Slovakia with three central defenders also fits that there is no trained right -back part of the impression – with the exception of Joshua Kimmich. But Nagelsmann sees the captain of the DFB selection as a string puller before the defense, which he will be announced again at the press conference.