Woltemade Restores Germany's Longing for "Number 9"

LUXEMBOURG, FRIDAY — The longing of the German public for a pure striker is beginning to be fulfilled. After waiting for a successor to the legendary striker Miroslav Klose for more than a decade, the talented forward Nick Woltemade has arrived with a multitude of hopes. Woltemade has managed to showcase his impressive performance outside of the English League.

Woltemade once again became a hero for the German national team in the group stage of the 2026 World Cup qualifiers. Most recently, the striker from Newcastle United scored a pair of goals in a 2-0 victory against the host Luxembourg at the Luxembourg Stadium, Saturday (15/11/2025) early morning WIB.

The 23-year-old striker responded firmly to the call from coach Julian Nagelsmann. A day before the match, Nagelsmann expressed great hopes for Woltemade. This is because Germany is currently experiencing a striker crisis. Many forwards are absent due to injuries, such as Jamal Musiala, Kai Havertz, and Nicklas Fuellkrug.

Woltemade emerged as a differentiator amidst the passive performance of "Si Panser." "In the first half, we did not play well. The intensity was too low and we were less dominant. We played better in the second half and scored at the right time. However, the most important thing is that we won," said the striker.

In the second half, just four minutes in, Woltemade immediately put the visiting team ahead with a cross from winger Leroy Sane. The tall striker, standing at 198 centimeters, concluded Luxembourg's resistance with a goal that was almost identical in scheme in the 69th minute.

As a result, Woltemade has scored three goals in seven appearances for Germany. His first goal was scored in the last match during the previous international break in October 2025, when Germany defeated Northern Ireland 1-0. Prior to that, he had faced doubts due to his inability to contribute at the international level.

The influence of Woltemade is now undeniable. He is the scorer of all of Germany's goals in the last two matches. Thanks to this, Germany has garnered six points and remains at the top of Group A standings with 12 points. They only need a draw against Slovakia next Tuesday to qualify directly for the World Cup.

"At this moment, he is very important to us. He is a very good player, and coincidentally, there are also several injured players in that position. He is also popular among the fans. He is highly sought after due to his excellent performance, as well as his ability to press, control the ball, and score goals," praised Nagelsmann.

Nagelsmann is very pleased with Woltemade's development in the national team. This is because the striker has already proven himself earlier with Newcastle. In his debut season, he has scored four goals in the English Premier League. Woltemade is one of the brightest debutants in that most competitive league in the world.

Interestingly, Woltemade's prospects are still bright given his very young age. He offers hope for "Die Mannschaft" to once again have a world-class pure striker. Since Klose's retirement from the national team in 2014, they have not had a "number 9" player who could make a difference in the front line.

In the last two editions of the World Cup, Qatar 2022 and Russia 2018, Germany even played without a pure striker. They relied on Havertz and Timo Werner, who played the role of "false forwards." Germany, however, completely failed in both editions by not advancing past the group stage.

Woltemade's hopes grew even higher after seeing his goals at the Luxembourg Stadium. The pair showcased the instincts and sharpness of a "number 9" striker. In the first goal, he was able to find space between two opposing defenders. He also maintained his position to avoid being caught in the offside trap.

Sane successfully found him with a cross at the far post. Woltemade executed the ball with just one touch through a left-footed shot. The finishing was very precise, even though it was not produced with his strongest foot. Woltemade's long legs also aided in reaching the pass.

The second goal also originated from movement in the penalty box. The difference was that Woltemade ran without the ball towards the near post. He successfully found a gap between three opposing defenders. German wing-back Ridle Baku noticed this movement and then provided a through pass. Woltemade finished with a right-footed shot.

The first goal by Woltemade for the national team was scored with a header from a corner kick scheme. This means he has scored goals with both feet and his head. Like a world-class "number 9," Woltemade can score in various ways. "Currently, the situation is good for Nick and good for us as well," said Nagelsmann. (AP/REUTERS)