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And then, all of a sudden, Deniz Undav had disappeared into a sea of Germany shirts. The striker was lost in the jubilant crowd of his teammates celebrating after the Stuttgart forward had scored an injury-time winner for Germany against the Ivory Coast in Toronto. At first, it seemed as though Undav himself hadn’t quite grasped what he had just accomplished. "How do I do it? No idea. I’m just in the right spot," the 29-year-old said afterwards, showing off that now familiar smile of his. Head coach Julian Nagelsmann, who showed a knack for making the right substitutions at the right time, was full of praise for his supersub.  "Deniz has an incredible striker's instinct. As soon as spaces open up, he’s just super smart," Nagelsmann said afterwards. With nine goals in his last eight i...

Germany's bench emptied after Deniz Undav scored the winner in the 94th minute. Julian Nagelsmann roared with delight. The Germany fans behind the goal threw themselves in all directions, lost in the joy of an injury-time winner. For the first time since they won the World Cup in 2014, Germany are headed to the knockouts. Moments like this make it easy to believe that something special is happening with this team. This was a victory for head coach Julian Nagelsmann, who got his substitutes spot on. But more than that, it was a win for the new guard. Unaffected by the scars of the last two tournaments, the newer faces in this squad drove the team to victory from a losing position. The youngsters of this group stepped up. Felix Nmecha continued his strong form and is emerging as the heartb...

Most of the news about Germany's World Cup squad was around the return of Manuel Neuer. But beyond the headlines lies another story. Eight of the 26 players representing Germany this summer have roots in Africa: Jonathan Tah (Ivorian father), Antonio Rüdiger (Sierra Leonean mother), Leroy Sane (Senegalese father), Felix Nmecha and Jamal Musiala (both Nigerian fathers), Assan Ouedraogo (both parents from Burkina Faso), Malick Thiaw (Senegalese father) and Jamie Leweling (Ghanian father). In fact, if you look at the last year of Germany squad selections, there have been a total of 17 players with African roots called up. The connection Germany's footballers have with African countries is inescapable and of huge importance at the 2026 World Cup. "Today we have great diversity in the team, ...

A sunny day off from work in the midst of your first World Cup is not a bad way to celebrate turning 23. For Nathaniel Brown, having a birthday on Tuesday fits perfectly with the good vibes train he has long been on. "You see how hard the kid works, every single day. To play like that in his first World Cup game and score a goal right away is outstanding for someone his age," said forward Kai Havertz. "We need players like that on the Germany team." Just four years after signing his first professional contract, Brown, whose nickname is "Nene", is at a World Cup. The move from Nürnberg to Bundesliga team Eintracht Frankfurt came in 2024 and, after a slow start, he emerged as a regular. Even though the club struggled in the recently-finished campaign, Brown was voted the club's Player of t...

Annalena Baerbock is a football fan and is often found cheering on Germany's national teams at major tournaments. Last year, she was on the edge of her seat rooting for the country's women's team at the Euros in Switzerland. And now, her fingers are crossed for the men's team at the 2026 World Cup in the United States, Canada and Mexico. She's right in the thick of it because since 2025, Baerbock has been president of the United Nations General Assembly, which is based in New York. Baerbock attended an award ceremony at the recently opened German House of Soccer, where former Bayern Munich forward Thomas Müller and goalkeeper Ann-Katrin Berger were awarded prizes. Müller, the most successful German player ever, currently plys his trade for the Vancouver Whitecaps in the MLS and received ...

"I'm a multicultural kid with three different nationalities: Germany, Algeria, and Vietnam," said Ibrahim Maza earlier this year. By then, it had dawned on Julian Nagelsmann — along with 80 million armchair coaches across Germany — that a player like Maza could be a useful asset for the men's national football team. However, by then it was too late. Maza was already cap-tied with Algeria, the country his father left as a young man to make a new life in Germany. Roots in Algeria, Vietnam, and Berlin Maza's father, Sofiane, who hails from Algiers, went on to meet his Vietnamese wife in Germany. Their son, Ibrahim, was born in Berlin in 2005. His father introduced Ibrahim to his homeland through stories and regular visits back home. "I went there often with my father," Ibrahim Maza told ...

It's hard to believe the 2026 World Cup will be Jonathan Tah's first. The 30-year-old is coming off the best season of his career and has a vast amount of experience with over 300 Bundesliga appearances. His path to the top though, has been far from straightforward, and that journey is one he appreciates today. "A World Cup is something special and I'm so excited to be at the first," Tah said in the days ahead of Germany's opener. "I felt how big this tournament is and I'm very grateful to be here. It means a lot. I spoke to my family and friends, and they have noticed that special atmosphere is missing somewhat so I hope German fans bring out their flags soon, and we can of course help with that by playing well." Tah has certainly been doing that. He is one of the most reliable defender...