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The German national football team has officially begun its preparations for the World Cup year, with head coach Julian Nagelsmann unveiling his first squad for 2026. Contrary to speculation surrounding his earlier interview with *kicker*, Nagelsmann’s selection contained only one real surprise.

The DFB announced its initial squad for the 2026 World Cup campaign, and as many had expected, neither 1. FC Köln’s emerging talent Said El Mala nor Stuttgart’s creative midfielder Angelo Stiller made the cut for the upcoming friendlies against Switzerland on 27 March and Ghana on 30 March. Both omissions were largely anticipated.

What did surprise many, however, was the inclusion of Anton Stach from Leeds United. Although Nagelsmann had earlier acknowledged Stach’s solid performances in England, he had also criticised the midfielder’s relative weakness in aerial duels and tackles.

“He isn’t particularly strong in the air or the best in challenges, but he’s a player who likes to keep the game in front of him,” Nagelsmann had explained. “At Hoffenheim, I felt his best role was in the centre of a back three, where he could drop into the number six position.”

After missing out on selection last November, few expected Stach to return. Yet the 27-year-old has earned a call-up to the senior national team for the first time in nearly four years, leading a group of six returning players.

Joining him are Antonio Rüdiger of Real Madrid and Arsenal’s Kai Havertz, both back after extended injury absences. Nagelsmann expressed particular enthusiasm over Havertz’s return, viewing him as his first-choice striker. As for Rüdiger, the coach emphasised the need for full fitness: “He must be 100 per cent fit and healthy. If he’s carrying even minor issues, he won’t perform at his peak, and that doesn’t make sense.”

Rüdiger now appears to have fully recovered from his knee and muscle problems, reclaiming his starting spot in Real Madrid’s central defence and impressing notably in the round of 16 clashes against Manchester City.

The remaining returnees include Pascal Groß, who has re-established himself at Brighton & Hove Albion after leaving Borussia Dortmund in the winter, and Stuttgart’s Deniz Undav and Josha Vagnoman. For Vagnoman, this is his first call-up in almost three years, following his debut for the national team. He currently stands as Nagelsmann’s only natural backup to right-back Joshua Kimmich, who is enjoying excellent form.

Nagelsmann also faces a selection dilemma at a key position, with Benjamin Henrichs still short of his best after sustaining an Achilles tendon rupture in December 2024. Ridle Baku, who had impressed with a goal and an assist during last year’s World Cup qualifiers, is also struggling to regain his top level at Leipzig.

Meanwhile, two completely new faces from FC Bayern have been named in the squad: Lennart Karl and Jonas Urbig. Urbig has impressed as a backup for the often-injured Manuel Neuer at Bayern, while 18-year-old Karl has rediscovered his early-season form after a brief dip. Many pundits believe he had already shown enough earlier in the campaign to merit a call-up.

“I don’t expect him to become a regular starter or automatically part of the World Cup squad,” Nagelsmann commented in early March. “But he needs to find rhythm and confidence. For young players, self-belief is crucial. He must bring energy and spirit, not come in shy or hesitant.”

Karl has recently demonstrated that confidence in Bayern colours again. In his first full professional season, he has tallied eight goals and six assists across 34 matches. His selection may also have been aided by the absence of Jamal Musiala, who remains sidelined due to lingering ankle pain following a serious injury during the Club World Cup. The 23-year-old has also been unavailable for Bayern in recent weeks.

As for Borussia Dortmund, several of their key players have been left out. The exclusion of Maximilian Beier has drawn attention, given his recent form. Beier has become a regular starter for BVB, contributing five goals and four assists in his last twelve Bundesliga outings. Despite this, he was not selected, nor was Karim Adeyemi. Niclas Füllkrug, limited to substitute duties at AC Milan and scoring just one goal this season, also misses out.

Nadiem Amiri, who was recalled by Nagelsmann last March after nearly five years away from the national side, is another absentee. His omission, however, is due to injury rather than performance. The 29-year-old midfielder has been in outstanding form for Mainz 05, registering 15 goals and three assists this season, but has been dealing with a persistent heel issue.

DFB squad: The German national team lineup