Former European champion Markus Babbel has weighed in on the discussion surrounding Germany’s World Cup squad, recommending a specific striker to national coach Julian Nagelsmann.
Markus Babbel, a European champion from 1996 and current TV pundit, has expressed his belief that Bundestrainer Julian Nagelsmann should nominate Nicolo Tresoldi for the upcoming World Cup squad. The forward recently showcased impressive form for the German U21 team, an achievement that Babbel believes warrants an invitation for the tournament next summer, according to the former defender.
«You wouldn’t be doing anything wrong by taking him along. I believe Julian Nagelsmann is still searching for that classic center-forward,» Babbel stated on Pro7 Maxx. He praised Club Brugge’s Tresoldi for possessing «that instinct for where the ball might land,» attributing a typical goal-scorer’s quality to the 21-year-old. «He is, for me, the classic central striker,» Babbel added.
Tresoldi recently impressed with a brace in the German U21 team’s 3-0 victory against Northern Ireland in the European Championship qualifiers. However, he did not score in Tuesday’s subsequent 2-0 win against Greece.
Nicolo Tresoldi’s International Eligibility Options
Tresoldi grew up in Italy and relocated to Germany at the age of 13. He acquired German citizenship at 18 and promptly began representing German youth national teams. Previously, Tresoldi had kept his options open for a national team switch, with the Italian national team being the most probable choice. He also had the potential to play for Argentina, his mother’s birth country. However, Italy’s recent elimination in the World Cup playoffs against Bosnia means that the option of participating in the World Cup with the Squadra Azzurra, should he receive an invitation, is no longer available.
National Coach Nagelsmann’s Current Striker Landscape
«It’s not always an easy decision to make,» said DFB Sporting Director Rudi Völler when questioned about Tresoldi’s situation. The former world-class attacker described Tresoldi as the «future of German football,» clearly indicating his high regard for the player. «Whether it will be enough for the World Cup, I cannot say. We already have good strikers,» Völler added.
In the DFB team’s recent friendly against Ghana (2-1), Kai Havertz started in the central attacking role. Nick Woltemade and Deniz Undav were deployed as substitutes in the forward line. Nagelsmann reportedly views Undav primarily as a super-sub, a stance that has generated considerable debate.
Nicolo Tresoldi’s Performance Statistics for the 2025/26 Season:
| Matches: | 48 |
| Minutes Played: | 2626 |
| Goals: | 17 |
| Assists: | 5 |