Three players, one goal: who makes Nagelsmann's starting XI? | OneFootball

The recent international break once again underlined Julian Nagelsmann’s preferred vision for Germany’s center-forward position at the World Cup. Either Kai Havertz or Nick Woltemade is supposed to start as the number nine. Deniz Undav will have to settle for the bench either way. A few weeks before the start of the World Cup, however, the national coach’s decision is still not one hundred percent final. All three strikers still have something to prove to their coach.

That applies most of all to Deniz Undav, even if the numbers at least currently speak more than clearly in his favor. Last season, the VfB star scored 25 goals in 44 games across all competitions at club level and also set up another 14. Kai Havertz has five goals and one assist in 16 matches. Woltemade has ten goals and one assist to his name after 44 appearances. In 2026, he has found the net only once so far. And yet Undav is not supposed to start?

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“We’ll see, but it’s rather unlikely, because I didn’t have the role discussions for March, but for the World Cup,” the national coach explained when asked about Undav’s role as a substitute after the March friendlies against Switzerland (4-3) and Ghana (2-1). If he wants to break into the starting lineup, he will have to really keep firing in the cup final against Bayern and during World Cup preparation. Apparently, Nagelsmann simply places more value on a different type of striker.

With Nick Woltemade, he has a player who, unlike Undav, can press constantly, put enormous pressure on the defense, and in theory force mistakes. The fact that he can score despite a fairly modest season was impressively demonstrated, not least with the national team. In three decisive qualifying matches against Northern Ireland (1-0), Luxembourg (2-0), and Slovakia (6-0), the former Stuttgart player scored four times and played a major part in Germany even qualifying for the 2026 World Cup. Kai Havertz, meanwhile, had to watch it all from the stands yet again, as so often recently.

The Arsenal star was sidelined with a knee injury until mid-season and never really found his rhythm afterward either. Havertz repeatedly had to stop because of muscular problems. And when he was fit, he was usually limited to brief appearances behind Sweden’s Viktor Gyökeres.

One positive, at least: last Monday, the 26-year-old was allowed to start in the league game against Burnley and delivered right away. In the Gunners’ 1-0 win, he scored the decisive goal. Winning the title with Arsenal should give him an extra boost of confidence, and then there is still the Champions League final against PSG.

Unlike Undav and Woltemade, Havertz is also judged less strictly by his goal tally. Thanks to his versatility and exceptional game intelligence, the 26-year-old creates a lot of space, produces chances, and has a huge influence on his team’s attacking play even without goals or assists. He still has to prove that he is fully healthy, though. If Havertz is fit, a role on the right wing also seems possible.

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“Kai almost always played on the right during Peter Bosz’s time at Leverkusen and feels comfortable there too,” Julian Nagelsmann explained to 'kicker'. As in the test against Ghana, Havertz could then even start alongside Nick Woltemade. In the closing stages, there might be room for Deniz Undav.

“Deniz has a lot of good moments in the Bundesliga too when the opponent is already a little tired,” Nagelsmann stressed. “He has exceptional creativity, and some of that gets lost when he has to do the hard work during the game.”

Undav’s 25 goals this season, which he scored almost exclusively as a starter, suggest otherwise. Julian Nagelsmann will very likely be aware of that — just like Havertz’s fitness level and Woltemade’s goal-shy second half of the season. But will that really change anything about Germany’s starting lineup?

That will become clear by the World Cup opener against Curaçao on 14 June at the latest. Until then, Undav (in the DFB Cup final against Bayern), Woltemade (in the Premier League match against Fulham), and Havertz (in the Premier League match against Crystal Palace and in the Champions League final against PSG) can all continue to stake their claim.

This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇩🇪 here.

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