By Elke Porter | WBN News World Sports | November 13, 2025
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Germany finds itself in an unexpectedly tense qualification battle for the 2026 World Cup. The four-time champions sit level with Slovakia on nine points atop their group (with Germany ahead on goal difference), setting up a crucial showdown on November 17 in what should be a straightforward campaign for the powerhouse nation.Julian Nagelsmann's squad faces Luxembourg away on November 14 before the decisive home clash with Slovakia, while Northern Ireland lurks just three points behind, keeping the group remarkably competitive.

Germany will expect to dispatch Luxembourg comfortably, but the Slovakia match carries genuine stakes—a scenario that would have seemed unthinkable a decade ago.This uncertainty stands in stark contrast to Germany's dominant 2014 World Cup triumph. That golden generation has largely moved on from international football.

  • Manuel Neuer, now 39, retired from the national team in August 2024 after a storied career as Germany's captain and last line of defense.
  • Thomas Müller also hung up his international boots in July 2024, ending a remarkable 131-cap career that defined an era of German football. He left Bayern Munich in 2025 and is now playing for the Vancouver Whitecaps.
  • Bastian Schweinsteiger retired from professional football entirely in 2019 and now works as a television pundit, offering expert analysis from the studio.
  • Other heroes from that World Cup-winning squad have similarly transitioned: Miroslav Klose coaches in Austria, Philipp Lahm serves as a football executive, and Toni Kroos retired from all football in 2024 after Euro 2024.

While Germany should still qualify—home advantage against Slovakia and superior talent suggest they'll navigate this final hurdle—the nail-biting nature of their campaign highlights how much has changed since 2014's glory days. The nation that once steamrolled through qualifiers now finds itself in genuine competition, searching for the next generation to restore its traditional dominance.

November 17 will determine whether Germany's World Cup 2026 journey continues smoothly or requires a playoff detour.

Elke Porter at:
Westcoast German Media
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TAGS: #Germany Football #World Cup 2026 #Die Manschaft #WC Qualifiers #Germany Vs Slovakia #Road To World Cup #Westcoast German News #WBN World Sports News Edition #Elke Porter

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