Last test before the World Cup
With a surprise: This is how the DFB team starts against the USA
Updated June 6, 2026 – 7:28 p.mReading time: 2 minutes
The German team is completing the dress rehearsal before the start of the World Cup tournament in the USA, Canada and Mexico. For this it goes against the co-host. It is now clear which line-up the DFB team will go into the game with.
One very last test before the start of the World Cup: The DFB team will meet the USA for the 13th time on Saturday evening (from 8.30 p.m. in the live ticker on t-online). So far there have been eight wins and four defeats. National coach Julian Nagelsmann still has particularly fond memories of the last meeting so far. On his debut as national coach, Germany won 3-1 in Hartford in October 2023.
Now there should be another sense of achievement before the first World Cup group game against Curaçao. This setup should work. This is how the DFB team starts the game:
Surprisingly, Leroy Sané is in the starting line-up for Lennart Karl, who left injured. Meanwhile, in Chicago, left-back Nathaniel Brown is once again given priority over David Raum, while Felix Nmecha is once again the man next to Aleksandar Pavlović in midfield.
It was already clear beforehand: goalkeeper Manuel Neuer’s comeback to the national soccer team would be further delayed. The 2014 world champion is also out of the World Cup dress rehearsal due to the calf injury he suffered three weeks ago. Oliver Baumann is in goal for him. In front of Hoffenheim, captain Joshua Kimmich, Jonathan Tah, Nico Schlotterbeck and Brown form the back four that will also be on the pitch in Houston on June 14th. Pavlović and Nmecha occupy the control center.
On the ten, director Jamal Musiala can continue to work on his form. He is flanked by Sané on the right and Florian Wirtz on the left. Kai Havertz, who joined the team late after the Champions League final, takes his regular place in attack instead of Mainz match winner Deniz Undav.