In a major interview with German sports magazine kicker at the start of March, Germany head coach Julian Nagelsmann said a team’s belief can emerge in the space of just two games. Those two games — against Switzerland and Ghana — produced wins, suggesting confidence is not something this group lacks.
Against Switzerland, Germany showed they can win a high-scoring, entertaining game despite familiar defensive issues. With players like Florian Wirtz in attack, conceding a couple of goals is something they can overcome.
In Stuttgart, the test was different. Ghana, ranked 72nd, looked disjointed and Germany’s patience rather than resilience was tested. It took until the final minutes of both halves for that patience to be rewarded. After two unsuccessful powerplays, Kai Havertz coolly converted a penalty in first-half stoppage time to break the deadlock. Abdul Fatawu scored Ghana’s only real chance, but Deniz Undav’s late winner sealed a 2-1 victory.
“It was important to win the game, there was no point in drawing or losing,” Undav told ARD afterwards.
Nagelsmann reflected: “If we are tactically disciplined, as in the first half, then you can see how tight we keep it. Then we were impatient because we didn’t score. We didn’t have the right players in the right positions anymore, and we were playing a lot of freestyle again, just like in Switzerland. That makes us very vulnerable to counterattacks. I did think we played better here than in Switzerland, though.”
Rain, numerous substitutions and an out-of-sorts opponent made for an attritional, disjointed match. Germany were rarely in danger, but learning to win these games is valuable experience so close to the World Cup.
Germany faced a gritty Ghana in Stuttgart (Image: Kai Pfaffenbach/REUTERS)
Nagelsmann and captain Joshua Kimmich have emphasized team strength over individual skill as the World Cup nears, and that team-building rhetoric has intensified. Both Undav and Nagelsmann voiced displeasure about the boos Leroy Sané received; Sané answered by assisting the winner with a brave header, a fitting response that underlined growing team unity. A core is emerging and competition for spots is heating up.
Left back Nathaniel Brown impressed, though one strong hour may not be enough to settle a long-standing positional question. Bayern youngster Lennart Karl played 72 minutes across both games and showed flashes of momentum-changing ability.
Attack selection presents a key decision: Kai Havertz’s return from injury means Nagelsmann must choose between the Arsenal forward, the out-of-form Nick Woltemade and the in-form, fan-favorite Undav. Woltemade missed a first-half chance he probably should have taken and later hit the bar; Undav, introduced from the bench, scored the winner and was sung by the crowd even before entering the pitch.
His goal combined a perfectly timed run and instinct in the box. “I know my role for the team but with goals like that perhaps my role will change,” Undav said. Nagelsmann seemed unmoved, with Undav likely to remain an impact substitute for now.
Ultimately, the real answers will come this summer when Germany’s 26-man squad heads to the tournament in Canada, Mexico and the United States. But two wins in March, two and a half months out, are encouraging. Whether this team truly believes it can win the World Cup is unknown, but they probably feel better about their chances now than a year ago — and April of a World Cup year is exactly the time to build confidence and belief.
Edited by: Matt Ford
