Nagelsmann's Big Calls

Julian Nagelsmann named Germany's official World Cup squad on May 21, and the headline is not Musiala or Wirtz or Havertz — all expected — but Manuel Neuer. The Bayern Munich goalkeeper announced his retirement from international football after Euro 2024. He is 40 years old. And Nagelsmann called him back.

Neuer's inclusion is the most dramatic selection decision of any squad announcement so far. At 40, he is the oldest goalkeeper in the tournament — and one of the oldest players overall. His shot-stopping remains elite — Bayern have had one of the best defensive records in the Bundesliga this season largely because of what Neuer does in goal. Nagelsmann clearly decided that what Neuer brings — the sweeper-keeper system, the presence, the experience of winning a World Cup in 2014 — outweighs the age calculation.

Kimmich Leads as Captain — Neuer as His No. 1

Joshua Kimmich, 31, is confirmed as Germany's captain for the tournament. The Bayern Munich midfielder is one of the most experienced players in the squad and Nagelsmann's on-pitch leader. Kimmich as captain with Neuer in goal and Musiala/Wirtz in midfield gives Germany a spine of elite players at every level of the pitch.

Musiala and Wirtz — The Reason to Watch Germany

Everything else about Germany's squad flows from Jamal Musiala and Florian Wirtz playing in the same XI. At 23 and 22 respectively, they form a midfield-to-attack combination that no defensive system has found a reliable answer for. Musiala drifts, creates, finishes. Wirtz plays slightly deeper, sees passes others don't, and scores from positions that shouldn't produce goals. Against inferior opposition in the group stage, Germany with both fit and in form could put five past anyone. The notable absentees are Serge Gnabry (torn adductor muscle, ruled out) and Thomas Müller, who retired from international football.

The real test comes against Ecuador at MetLife on June 25. Ecuador have Moisés Caicedo — one of the best pressing midfielders in Europe — and will set up to contain rather than match Germany. If Musiala and Wirtz can find space against Caicedo's press, Germany win comfortably. If they can't, it gets complicated.

After Back-to-Back Group Stage Exits

Germany were eliminated in the group stage in 2018 (Russia) and 2022 (Qatar). Two consecutive failures at a World Cup for the four-time champions — a genuinely shocking record for a nation of their history and resources. The pressure on Nagelsmann is real. The talent is there to go deep. The question is whether the mental weight of recent failure or the excitement of this generation's quality defines their tournament. The MetLife match on June 25 will tell us a lot.