Germany’s national coach, Julian Nagelsmann, is set to announce the squad for the 2026 World Cup next week. The question on everyone’s mind is: which unexpected names might feature in the final selection?
Nagelsmann revealed in an early May infocall for the Fan Club Nationalmannschaft that a significant portion of the squad is already decided. «The majority of the squad is of course already set, I have about 20 players firmly in mind, and for six it’s still a race down the final stretch,» he stated, with exactly two weeks remaining until the official announcement on May 21st.
While Nagelsmann has repeatedly emphasized that the core of the squad selected for the March test matches against Switzerland (4-3) and Ghana (2-1) will likely form the World Cup team, players who were not involved in March can still harbor hopes of securing a ticket to the tournament in the USA, Mexico, and Canada.
Who could these players be? Who has made a strong case in the recent weeks, and which names could appear as complete surprises in the DFB roster? SPOX has considered these possibilities, assessing the surprise factor for each potential inclusion.
Maximilian Beier (Borussia Dortmund) — Surprise Factor: 2/10
Much like his BVB teammate Karim Adeyemi, Maximilian Beier was absent from Nagelsmann’s March call-up. Instead, the national coach selected Kevin Schade from FC Brentford, noting that he would likely only take one, or at most two, of these speedy counter-attacking forwards to the World Cup. «One of the three, maybe two, will ultimately prevail. But they all have the same chances. Kevin just has the advantage of showing himself to us now. The others had that advantage before,» explained Nagelsmann, who last called up Beier for the October 2023 international break.
In recent weeks, Beier has undoubtedly been the most prominent performer, making it difficult for Nagelsmann to overlook him. This is especially true given the additional World Cup spot that has become available in the attacking department due to the injury of Bayern Munich’s Serge Gnabry.
Beier has consistently delivered for BVB for months, finishing the season strongly on the left wing. With 20 direct goal involvements across all competitions (ten goals, ten assists), he is the best scorer among his direct competitors this season. Furthermore, he demonstrates maximum work rate and commitment in every second of a match, including defensively – attributes that Nagelsmann is known to highly value.
Matthias Ginter (SC Freiburg) — Surprise Factor: 9/10
At 32 years old, Matthias Ginter is experiencing a career resurgence. The reliable center-back is having an outstanding season, playing a significant role in SC Freiburg reaching the Europa League final and having a strong chance to qualify for another international competition.
Prominent figures such as record national player Lothar Matthäus are among Ginter’s vocal supporters for a World Cup inclusion. Former DFB star Max Kruse recently stated that the Freiburg player «must be considered,» and teammate Igor Matanovic emphasized, «As a national coach, I would definitely take him with me. The team’s success speaks for itself, and he plays a huge part in it.»
According to Ginter himself, he received a call from Nagelsmann before the March international matches, but was unable to be included at that time. Will this change in the summer? «As far as I’ve heard, it’s not final yet. So, let’s see,» Ginter commented.
The 2014 World Cup winner, who at 20 years old did not feature in any tournament matches, would certainly be deserving of a World Cup nomination given what is arguably the best season of his career. However, Nagelsmann has never called him up in his two and a half years in charge, and Ginter’s last of 51 caps was in June 2023 under Hansi Flick.
Despite the high surprise factor, Ginter’s actual chances of making the World Cup squad appear slim. With established starters Jonathan Tah and Nico Schlotterbeck, along with their alternatives Antonio Rüdiger and Waldemar Anton, Nagelsmann likely has four central defender spots already allocated. This leaves the fifth center-back position, for which the national coach nominated Malick Thiaw in March. The 24-year-old from Newcastle United has the advantage over Ginter not only in that Nagelsmann has called him up three times, but also that he is eight years younger. Thiaw thus represents a greater future prospect, and Nagelsmann might take him to the USA for experience in the coming years.
A potential opening for Ginter could arise if Nagelsmann considers him as a backup for Joshua Kimmich at right-back. Ginter can theoretically play as a right-back and has done so a few times for the national team.
Yann Bisseck (Inter Milan) — Surprise Factor: 8/10
Like Ginter, Yann Bisseck, at 25 years old, benefits from his age and the associated greater future potential for the DFB team. Nevertheless, Nagelsmann is likely to choose between Thiaw and Ginter for the fifth center-back spot.
Despite consistently good months at his club, Inter Milan, Bisseck was not considered for the March international matches. He was then sidelined for three weeks with a muscle injury, but made a positive return to the field at the end of April, scoring in Inter’s 2-2 draw against Torino. As a regular player for the Italian champions, Bisseck certainly has a claim to a role in the national team.
However, he has not been with the DFB team since his initial nomination in March 2025, when he made his international debut against Italy. Therefore, a World Cup call-up for Bisseck would be surprising mainly because, despite his strong development, it remains unlikely.
Faride Alidou (1. FC Köln) — Surprise Factor: 6/10
When Nagelsmann first nominated Faride Alidou in November last year, sending him to the U21s after the first of two World Cup qualifiers as planned, the national coach emphasized: «He needs to eliminate the weak points in the long run so that he becomes a regular starter in Cologne.»
The «weak points» primarily referred to Alidou’s occasionally unreliable defensive work, which was one of the reasons the attacking talent had not yet accumulated more starts for FC. Alidou has now fulfilled Nagelsmann’s demand from nearly half a year ago: the 19-year-old has been a consistent starter for his club for weeks – especially since Lukas Kwasniok’s departure – featuring in the starting lineup for nine consecutive Bundesliga matches.
Moreover, Alidou has been in good form, consistently creating chances and accumulating seven scorer points since the end of February (five goals, two assists). To make a late push for the World Cup squad, especially after missing out in March, Alidou certainly has arguments in his favor. However, competition in the attacking department is likely to be too strong, even with Serge Gnabry’s World Cup absence. Leroy Sané, Lennart Carl, and Chris Führich, who was called up in March, are likely ahead of Alidou in the winger rankings, as is likely Maxi Beier, who has been in formidable form for BVB recently. Whether there will be space for Alidou also depends on how Nagelsmann plans to fill other positions.
Alidou would have earned a World Cup spot. And with his bold, fresh approach and style of play, the Cologne player would undoubtedly benefit the German squad, offering an option from the bench in tight matches to swing games back in their favor.
Assan Ouédraogo (RB Leipzig) — Surprise Factor: 5/10
Had Assan Ouédraogo not been sidelined by injury for almost the entirety of the period from late November to late March, the RB Leipzig midfield talent might not be a surprise candidate at all, but a rather probable World Cup attendee.
Before his first injury, Ouédraogo was well on his way to becoming a key player in this Bundesliga season. At RB, the 2023 U17 World and European champion had secured a regular starting spot in the autumn, delivering one strong performance after another. Following Nadiem Amiri’s absence due to injury, Ouédraogo was called up by Nagelsmann in November for the World Cup qualifiers against Luxembourg (2-0) and Slovakia (6-0). The 20-year-old made his debut in the crucial match against Slovakia, scoring his first international goal shortly after coming on as a substitute.
Ouédraogo carried this momentum into his club form, leading Leipzig to a 2-0 victory over Werder Bremen a few days later, including a spectacular goal. However, it was in this very game that the youngster suffered a knee injury, initially requiring nearly two months out, and then re-injuring himself immediately upon his comeback in mid-January. Consequently, Ouédraogo was not a consideration for the March international matches, only becoming available again in early April.
He has since been gradually integrated back into the RB lineup, starting three of the last four games. Will he manage to make it onto the World Cup train? Nagelsmann is known to be a big fan of Ouédraogo, who could bring valuable impetus to the German midfield with his combination of first-class technique and dynamism.
There is no doubt that the former Schalke player, who resembles Felix Nmecha in his playing style, fundamentally has a right to be in the World Cup squad. The question remains how many midfield spots Nagelsmann will allocate. Aleksandar Pavlović, Leon Goretzka, Pascal Groß, and Nmecha – assuming he suffers no physical setbacks after his injury – should have their tickets secured. Behind them, Nagelsmann nominated Anton Stach in March, and Angelo Stiller was called up after Nmecha’s withdrawal. Whether Nagelsmann now sees Ouédraogo, who can play as a defensive midfielder, central midfielder, and attacking midfielder, ahead of one of these two remains to be seen.
Nicolo Tresoldi (Club Brugge) — Surprise Factor: 9/10
Niclas Füllkrug has fallen out of favor due to consistent poor form at West Ham and Milan, Tim Kleindienst has missed almost the entire season due to injury, and Jonathan Burkardt has not truly recommended himself for a return to the DFB team in recent months. Should Julian Nagelsmann decide to take a fourth striker to the World Cup alongside the almost certain attendees Deniz Undav, Nick Woltemade, and Kai Havertz, Nicolo Tresoldi would be the most compelling option.
The German U21 international is having a strong season at Club Brugge in Belgium, even showcasing his goal-scoring prowess in the Champions League, scoring against teams like FC Barcelona and Atletico Madrid. Tresoldi is also currently in good form, could become Belgian champion with Brugge, and netted the crucial opening goal in their 2-0 victory against St. Truiden last weekend.
A World Cup nomination for Tresoldi would still be very surprising, especially considering he was playing in the second division for Hannover last season and Nagelsmann has never called him up. And then there are the other attractive options the 21-year-old has for his senior international career: as the son of an Italian born and initially raised in Italy, Tresoldi could also play for the Azzurri. And since his mother is from Argentina, the striker would also be eligible to play for the reigning world champions.
On the other hand, a World Cup nomination could be an argument for Tresoldi to commit to Germany for the future, potentially becoming a reliable center-forward option for the DFB team for many years to come.
Anton Kade (FC Augsburg) — Surprise Factor: 10/10
If Julian Nagelsmann were to ask his former assistant coach Sandro Wagner for players who might not be on the radar at first glance but who he could recommend, the former Augsburg coach might recall Anton Kade. Wagner brought the attacking midfielder from FC Basel to FC Augsburg last summer and was enthusiastic. He was «absolutely surprised that we could sign him, because he can do so many things,» Wagner wondered after Kade’s signing why no more ambitious club had pursued the German U21 international.
Kade would certainly be a surprise inclusion in the mold of David Odonkor at the 2006 World Cup – meaning, nobody would have expected it. The 22-year-old, who at 18 had already gained some Bundesliga experience at his youth club Hertha BSC, has shown glimpses of great potential in his first full season in the German top flight. In recent weeks, Kade has been an important factor in Augsburg’s strong finish to the season, impressing with his speed and demonstrating goal threat. Kade’s goal in the 1-1 draw against Frankfurt at the end of April and his brace in the 3-1 win in Bremen in early May are noteworthy.
In addition to his qualities on the pitch, Kade, as Wagner raved, is extremely eager to learn, a good team player, and mature and humble. These attributes suggest that he could fulfill the role of a learning challenger, who might get little playing time, to Nagelsmann’s full satisfaction at the World Cup.
On the other hand, Kade faces the challenge that the national coach does not know him personally at all and therefore cannot assess firsthand how the Augsburg player would fit into his team structure. Nagelsmann has a better grasp of this with someone like Faride Alidou, for example.
Maximilian Mittelstädt (VfB Stuttgart) — Surprise Factor: 7/10
Maximilian Mittelstädt’s situation is clear: David Raum is a guaranteed starter for the World Cup squad, and as the second left-back, Nagelsmann will choose between Nathaniel Brown and Mittelstädt.
The trend clearly favors Frankfurt’s Brown, who has been preferred over Mittelstädt three times in a row recently and has made the next step in his development at the club despite Eintracht’s difficulties this season.
Mittelstädt, who was a temporary starter at left-back previously – including during the group stage of the home European Championship 2024 – has not been nominated since September. In the bitter 0-2 loss in Slovakia at the start of World Cup qualification, the Stuttgart player was one of the better performers in a thoroughly disappointing match. Nevertheless, he has not played another international match since.
Mittelstädt’s performances for VfB have been consistently good this season, and he is dreaming of Champions League qualification and DFB-Pokal triumph with the Swabians. A World Cup nomination would still come as quite a surprise, as Nagelsmann seems to be strongly leaning towards Raum and Brown at left-back.
Ridle Baku (RB Leipzig) — Surprise Factor: 3/10
After a four-year absence, Ridle Baku was nominated for the German national team in October 2023 for the first time in a long time. Deservedly so, as since his move from VfL Wolfsburg to Leipzig at the beginning of 2023, he had once again developed into one of the best right-backs in the Bundesliga.
National coach Nagelsmann gave Baku playing time in the autumn, and in November, the Leipzig player even started in the 2-0 win in Luxembourg. He justified the trust with an assist, and a few days later, he came on as a substitute in the 6-0 victory against Slovakia and scored his second international goal.
Despite this, Nagelsmann did not take Baku to the test matches at the end of March, with Stuttgart’s Josha Vagnoman instead taking on the role of backup for Joshua Kimmich at right-back. «Of course, it was a bit disappointing not to be part of the last international matches. But there’s no point in hanging your head. I just wanted to keep working, improve in the areas where I can still get better, and make it as difficult as possible for the national coach,» Baku told *Bild* in mid-April, expressing confidence: «If you are a regular starter here, then there aren’t too many others who are in contention for the position.»
Baku is indispensable at Leipzig, contributing to the Saxons’ strong end to the season with seven wins in their last seven league games. With Vagnoman often only on the bench for VfB recently, Baku likely has the edge over his current closest competitor in the race for the Kimmich backup role at right-back. Consequently, a World Cup nomination for the 28-year-old would not be a huge surprise. This is assuming Nagelsmann hasn’t possibly considered Matthias Ginter as an alternative at right-back.
Maximilian Eggestein (SC Freiburg) — Surprise Factor: 10/10
For Freiburg coach Julian Schuster, Maximilian Eggestein is the epitome of «indispensable.» The central midfielder has played all 33 Bundesliga games this season in their entirety and has started in almost all matches across all competitions – only in the Europa League round of 16 first leg in Genk, which was lost 0-1, could Schuster not rely on Eggestein due to a suspension.
Being such a consistent performer is of course not yet an argument for being considered for Germany’s World Cup squad. However, Eggestein consistently plays at a high level and has played such an enormous role in Freiburg’s outstanding season that Nagelsmann might at least have him in mind.
Especially since the lower squad places for the central midfield are not yet set in stone, and for example, Anton Stach, who was nominated in March, is a candidate who could be replaced by Eggestein. Like Stach, Eggestein would surely accept a role as a challenging bench player, primarily there to ensure high standards and necessary intensity in training, without any complaints. And just like his teammate Ginter, Eggestein would fundamentally deserve a World Cup spot.
However, a World Cup nomination for the former Bremen player would naturally be extremely surprising and come out of nowhere, as Nagelsmann has never nominated him before, and he has not yet played an international match. In March 2019, over seven years ago, Eggestein was called up to the DFB team by then-national coach Joachim Löw for the first and only time to date. However, he remained unused in the friendly against Serbia (1-1) and the European Championship qualifier against the Netherlands (3-2).