Expect Germany's Rejuvenation Project to Surprise at the World Cup

LEIPZIG, MONDAY — Although starting the 2026 World Cup qualifiers with some difficulties, Germany successfully concluded their journey perfectly. Not only did they qualify for the final round, but the team coached by Julian Nagelsmann also showcased a rejuvenation project that is beginning to flourish.

"The Panzer," as Germany is nicknamed, successfully avenged their earlier defeat at the Red Bull Arena in Leipzig, early Tuesday (18/11/2025) WIB. After being defeated by Slovakia 0-2 in the opening match of Group A, Germany turned the tables in the decisive qualification duel with a resounding victory of 6-0.

The host nation, Germany, actually only needed a draw to advance as group champions. Instead of playing it safe, they maximized the match as a showcase. Joshua Kimmich and his teammates seemed to want to assert that they have returned to the competition.

"The players gave their all. We played excellently, worked very hard, and scored great goals. Today, there is nothing to complain about. There is immense pressure (to qualify) and they pushed themselves to demonstrate a great team spirit," said Nagelsmann.

From the story of Germany's resurgence in the qualifiers, the rejuvenation project of Nagelsmann is beginning to flourish. The evidence is the 23-year-old forward Nick Woltemade. After becoming Germany's hero in the previous two matches with a contribution of three goals, he shone again by scoring the opening goal against Slovakia.

Woltemade has already proven to be a distinguishing figure. In contrast to the opening match, when visiting Slovakia's home ground, the Newcastle United striker struggled to contribute throughout the 90 minutes. This was his third appearance with the national team. He replaced the injured Kai Havertz.

The crisis of a savior figure in the German camp has successfully accelerated Woltemade's growth. The young striker has been given a larger platform to express himself, in addition to being burdened with higher expectations. Fortunately, his mentality has been tested, as seen in the English League.

Although he has only scored goals in the last three matches, Woltemade (4 goals) has successfully become the most productive player in the "Panzer" squad during the qualifiers. "It is always enjoyable to play for Germany. I have played at every age level and now I am at the peak, ready to go to the World Cup," said Woltemade.

The positive momentum of regeneration in Germany was also evident at the end of the match. Nineteen-year-old attacking midfielder Assan Ouedraogo made his debut in the senior team and immediately contributed a goal. The RB Leipzig player was entrusted to replace star midfielder Florian Wirtz.

I think we're back in the game. Now we can prepare with an open mind because we're not under pressure to make the playoffs.

Ouedraogo's career advancement has skyrocketed very quickly. Two years ago, he was still representing the German youth team while participating in the U-17 World Cup in Indonesia. The tall player, standing at 191 centimeters, was not even the first choice for coach Christian Wuck in that tournament.

Ouedraogo's great talent is increasingly capturing attention in Leipzig this season. He has been trusted to play in all 10 matches of the German League since the beginning of the season. He has taken advantage of this opportunity with impressive performances, contributing 2 goals and 3 assists. Only two players from Leipzig have contributed more goals than Ouedraogo.

With midfielder Jamal Musiala still in recovery and not expected to return in the near future, Nagelsmann now has another option. Ouedraogo could serve as a backup for Wirtz. Furthermore, Ouedraogo's value could increase next year, during the World Cup.

Meanwhile, Nagelsmann has increasingly relied on the 21-year-old midfielder Aleksandar Pavlovic. The Bayern Munich player has been trusted as a starter in the last four qualifying matches. Pavlovic appears comfortable partnering with his senior at Bayern, Leon Goretzka.

Nagelsmann said Germany will only get better going forward with the emergence of great talent. "I think we're back in the competition. Now we can prepare with an open mind because we're not under pressure to get through the playoffs," he said.

The rejuvenation project is expected to restore Germany's status as a tournament specialist team. In the last two editions of the World Cup, Qatar 2022 and Russia 2018, they were eliminated in the group stage. In Qatar, they still relied on veteran players such as Thomas Mueller and Ilkay Gundogan.

During the qualifiers, Germany's key players took turns sidelined due to injuries. This included Havertz, Musiala, goalkeeper Marc-Andre ter Stegen, as well as defenders Antonio Rudiger and Nico Schlotterbeck. Although it was challenging, this misfortune has now begun to turn into a hidden blessing for Nagelsmann.

According to Schlotterbeck, Germany will be even better when the key players return from injury. The depth of the team will be bolstered by young players. "We can have a very good World Cup if all the players come back. We want to achieve something, to become world champions," he concluded. (AP/REUTERS)