Germany have a strong squad ahead of the 2026 World Cup. Players such as Jamal Musiala, Nick Woltemade and Florian Wirtz are gearing up to represent their country – but who is set to miss out this year?
Players from clubs such as Bayern Munich, AS Monaco and Borussia Dortmund are set to miss out – which unlucky names will be left out of Julian Nagelsmann’s final squad?
GK: Manuel Neuer
Manuel Neuer is one of the greatest players in Germany’s rich history. Second only to Oliver Kahn, Neuer is amongst the greatest goalkeepers to have ever lived – with 124 caps for Germany, it is difficult to disagree.
Neuer still plays for Bayern Munich, having been at the club since 2011. Nevertheless, he retired from international football in 2024 – now at the age of 39, a return to the international fold looks far-fetched at this point.
RB: Felix Passlack
Once touted as a rising star at Borussia Dortmund, Felix Passlack didn’t develop into the player many thought he could be. Nevertheless, he still remains a decent option as an attacking full-back.
Currently, Passlack plays for Hibs in the Scottish Premiership – he has a lot of work to do if he wants to work his way back into international contention.
CB: Thilo Kehrer
With 28 caps to his name and at the age of 29, one would assume that Thilo Kehrer would be an established member of the Germany squad by now – however, it has been some time since he has featured for his country.
He has had a decent season at AS Monaco, but he has seldom been seen in the Germany squad in the past four years. He could sneak into the team if injuries occur, but this might be his only way of getting on the plane.
CB: Armel Bella-Kotchap
Armel Bella-Kotchap showed plenty of potential during his stint at Southampton in the Premier League – nevertheless, he hasn’t been called up by Germany since 2022.
He has all the tools to be an effective defender – he’s very tall and possesses decent technical ability – but hasn’t been able to put it all together at the highest level of the game.