World Cup Tactics: Germany | OneFootball

In this article series, I will try to analyse some of the teams that are possible contenders to win the World Cup. In each piece, I will focus on eight tactical characteristics of that team.

My aim is to show, at least to some extent, why these teams are so strong. Throughout the article, I have tried to focus not on individual players, but on the collective qualities that reflect the team’s strength on the pitch. Even when specific names are mentioned, they should be understood primarily through the roles they perform within the team structure.

Germany is first on the list.

1. Raum and Schlotterbeck’s Release

David Raum and Nico Schlotterbeck frequently step forward to take on different roles, temporarily turning Germany’s usual back four defense into a back three.

Schlotterbeck moves into midfield to intercept passes played into the attackers and immediately start attacking transitions after the regain. Raum, on the other hand, advances when the ball is being played on the right side, positioning himself in the space that opens on the left and becoming an option against a potential switch of play.

2. Forcing The Long Ball

When the opposition have possession and the game is being played in the middle third, Germany do not directly press the opposing defenders.

Instead, forwards and midfielders overload the space in front of the area where the ball is being played, forcing the opponent towards a long-ball option.

At the same time, Germany holds a high defensive line, encouraging the opponent to play long into the space behind. However, the positioning of the front players is not fixed. One player can sprint towards the ball-carrier, increasing the pressure on the pass and making the long-ball option even more likely.

3. Wirtz from the Left

In settled possession, Florian Wirtz drifts to the left and takes on the role of playmaker. His body orientation is usually open to the pitch, meaning he is often receiving and playing with the game in front of him.

This gives Germany two important advantages. First, when the ball is being played on the left side, Wirtz has the ability to beat one or two opponents and then direct the attack. Second, Raum or Nathaniel Brown can move into the inside channel, attack the space behind the defensive line through Wirtz’s through pass, and then deliver the cross.

4. Havertz Between Defenders

Although Kai Havertz has played as a centre-forward in recent years, he is not a typical number nine.

He is not the kind of striker who simply waits for the ball between the centre-backs.

This allows Havertz to find free spaces more easily. The opposition centre-backs cannot always step out as high as he does, and when three or four German players attack through the central area, Havertz is no longer the defenders’ main priority.

He frequently moves into the channel between the centre-back and the full-back, waiting for a cut-back or shooting pass from his teammates.

5. Wingers Stretch the Lines

The frequent use of Germany’s wingers as the highest attacking players causes the distance between the opposition’s defensive and midfield lines to increase.

When the ball-carrier enters the penalty area and prepares to deliver the cross, Germany’s wingers’ speed forces the opposition defenders to drop towards their own goal more quickly. If the midfield line cannot match that backward movement, spaces open up for the other German attackers to attack the cross and create finishing opportunities.

6. Tah and Schlotterbeck’s Far-Post Plan

On set pieces, or on second crosses after the initial delivery has been cleared, Jonathan Tah and Schlotterbeck have two specific roles.

First, both players attack the far post. The player in possession delivers the cross towards them to prevent the opponent from clearing the ball immediately. One of them then heads or knocks the ball back into the area in front of goal. Second, after making that action, they drop slightly deeper to attack the second balls that the opponent tries to clear, with the aim of sending those loose balls back towards goal.

7. The Connector Near the Center-Backs

In settled possession, the main role of the player positioned centrally and close to the centre-backs is to connect the ball-carrier with the players trying to enter the box from the right or left side.

When opponents defend very compactly against Germany, there is almost no space for a player to receive the ball and carry it forward. However, when these off-ball runs are not treated as the opponent’s defensive priority, Germany can still find ways to enter the penalty area.

8. Narrow-Lane Finishing

In possession, rather than using the full width of the pitch, Germany try to attack the goal through a narrow area.

As Joshua Kimmich and the left-back move into central positions, the left and right wingers stay wider, although they are still not positioned directly on the touchline. Germany spread across the central lane almost in a straight line, looking to play into one of the players positioned there.

Once the ball reaches one of those players, the next decision is based on who has the better shooting angle. The final pass is then played to that player, allowing Germany to turn a narrow central combination into a shooting opportunity.