Book World Cup ticketsThe DFB team is hot on humiliating Slovakia in the “final”
No suspense: The German national football team defied immense pressure in the group “final” and booked their World Cup ticket with a high-scoring football festival against Slovakia (6-0). National coach Julian Nagelsmann’s team finished qualifying first in the group.
The American Dream is still alive! With top form in a bumpy qualifier, the German national football team stormed to earn a direct ticket to the World Cup – and suddenly gave its fans hope for a fun summer tournament. The team apparently replaced by national coach Julian Nagelsmann beat Slovakia 6-0 (4-0) in the “final” for group victory in Leipzig.
Nick Woltemade (18), Serge Gnabry (29) and Leroy Sané (36/41) eased the frustration of the German Football Association (DFB) selection in a tight first half. Even before the half-time whistle, “Oh, how wonderful that is” echoed throughout the sold-out RB stadium. After the break, Leipzig substitute Ridle Baku (67) and debutant Assan Ouédraogo (79) dispelled the last doubts about participation in the 21st round of the 2026 XXL tournament in the USA, Canada and Mexico.
Most likely still in pot 1
Thanks to a fifth win in the sixth qualifying match, the four-time world champion is likely to advance to pot 1 in the December 5 draw in Washington DC. Thus, Germany will avoid favorites defending champions Argentina, France or England as well as the hosts.
After avoiding embarrassment on Friday in Luxembourg (2-0), Nagelsmann changed his starting eleven in two positions: Captain Joshua Kimmich and Nico Schlotterbeck returned to the starting line-up after injury, but were able to be replaced by Nagelsmann after sufficient rest time.
The first leg, when the DFB team suffered their first away defeat in World Cup qualifying in Bratislava (0-2) after a poor performance, “should have sent a wake-up call to everyone,” Nagelsmann said. To avoid a horror scenario in the play-offs, “the approach has to be completely different”. The 38-year-old sees his team as “determined and focused”.
Just a little surprise
The returning Schlotterbeck also underscored the importance of the game. “That’s been happening since Spain (on home soil of the 2024 European Championship, editor’s note.) the most important match,” said the centre-back on ZDF: “It’s very important, we want to go to the World Cup.” The DFB team started with this attitude. After Kimmich gave an emotional speech to a group of players before kick-off, Germany barely gave their opponents room to breathe in front of the 40,120 crowd. The DFB team was strong, concentrated and powerful in running, restricted their opponents, and the set-piece became a redeeming opening goal.
After a corner, Kimmich crossed into the six-yard box, where Woltemade nodded unchallenged – his fourth goal in the last three international games. Almost a reply, but almost an equalizer: Davis Duris suddenly appears in front of the German goal, Oliver Baumann turns the ball powerfully around the post (21). Nagelsmann’s team didn’t let anything go any further in the first half, instead they presented themselves as cheerful and cool as ice. Gnabry completed a neat combination of Bayern’s pivots around Aleksandar Pavlovic and Leon Goretzka to make the score 2-0. National coaches cheered in relief, and guest of honor Jürgen Klopp applauded in the stands. At the end of the first half, Sané made an early decision thanks to an assist from Florian Wirtz.
Nagelsmann applauded, and his team kept up a high pace in the second half en route to a fifth straight win. The German selection last achieved this in 2021 under Hansi Flick. Leipzig Baku scored three minutes after coming on following Gnabry’s pass. Even after that, the Germans continued. There was virtually no resistance from Slovakia, who suffered their worst competitive defeat and had to qualify for the play-offs. In the final phase, Nagelsmann allowed newly nominated RB talent Assan Ouédraogo to make his national team debut (77), the 19-year-old was immediately thanked with his first goal, just two minutes after coming on as a substitute.
