German media have shared their thoughts on Newcastle United star Nick Woltemade ahead of the World Cup
Nick Woltemade playing for Gaermany
Nick Woltemade has competition for his place in the Germany team(Image: Harry Langer/DeFodi Images/DeFodi via Getty Images)
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Newcastle United striker Nick Woltemade started for Germany on Monday night but he is still at risk of losing his place in the team ahead of World Cup 2026. Julian Nagelsmann’s side recorded a 2-1 win over Ghana.
The match was significant as it marked Woltemade’s last chance to represent his country before the pre-tournament squads are announced in May. The 24-year-old has emerged as a regular starter for Germany, scoring four goals in six games during World Cup qualification and played 78 minutes in the friendly last night.
However, he faces competition for his starting spot from Arsenal’s Kai Havertz, who scored from the penalty spot against Ghana. His other competitor, Stuttgart striker Deniz Undav, proved to be the hero as he clinched an 88th-minute winner at his home ground.
Woltemade’s current form in a Newcastle shirt will do little to ease the pressure, having gone 13 league games without scoring. Here is what the German media said about Woltemade’s performance.
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Kicker
A match report from Kicker praised the “intensity” that the Newcastle star has brought to the German national team. Woltemade was named in the starting line-up on his return to Stuttgart’s stadium after coming on as a substitute in a 4-3 win over Switzerland last week.
He assisted Liverpool’s Florian Wirtz for a goal that was ruled offside and came close to scoring his fifth international goal with an effort that struck the crossbar early in the second half. Woltemade’s link-up play was a central part of his game but he was also criticised for “making a few poor decisions”.
Summing up Woltemade’s situation, Kicker wrote: “In the striker hierarchy, a healthy and fit Kai Havertz, this time deployed on the right and scoring from the penalty spot, is ahead of Woltemade.”
Nick Woltemade playing for Germay
Woltemade hit the woodwork with a header against Ghana(Image: Alexander Hassenstein/Getty Images)
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Bild
Bild placed more focus on comparing Woltemade and Undav’s fortunes. The Newcastle forward was said to have missed a “golden opportunity” in the early stages of the game with a shot that went wide of the post.
Germany scorer Undav is in prolific form for Stuttgart. His winner against Ghana led Bild to admit that “things aren't going quite so well” for Woltemade.
The match report read: “Will Nagelsmann stick with his current strategy of making Undav the number 3 forward behind Havertz and Woltemade? Nagelsmann has 75 days until the World Cup opener against Curacao to find the answer.”
Suddeutsche Zeitung
The German publication questioned Nagelsmann’s decision to start Woltemade but also offered some encouragement as to why he may start at the World Cup. The line-up saw Havertz moved out to the right wing to accommodate the Newcastle man in a central role.
Suddeutsche Zeitung wrote of the manager’s selection: “If the starting line-up sent a message, it was this: Nagelsmann can't be all that enamoured with the running patterns of Deniz Undav, Germany's most prolific striker.” Woltemade was notably picked ahead of Undav at his home ground.
He fired “an excellent chance just wide” in the fourth minute and was “applauded enthusiastically” after later hitting the crossbar. Importantly for Woltemade, Havertz “seemed perfectly at ease” out wide, which could lessen his competition for the number nine spot.