Germany's World Cup squad will not be final until 11:00 GMT on May 12, when Julian Nagelsmann names a group of between 23 and 26 players. The broad picture is already clear, though. This is a preview built around selection calls, not tournament optimism, with an established spine, a few injury and positional questions, and one teenager, Lennart Karl, still pushing for a place.

The spine is already there

Germany won their remaining five UEFA qualifying fixtures after losing their opening match to finish top of a group containing Slovakia, Northern Ireland and Luxembourg. That run gives Nagelsmann a decent base to work from, and it is why the conversation around the squad is less about whether the team belongs at the World Cup and more about who fits around the core.

Joshua Kimmich is one of the obvious anchors. His 7.73 Bundesliga rating across 28 appearances and 2 goals underlines why he remains a central piece in Germany's build-up. Nico Schlotterbeck is in a similar bracket of reliability, with a 7.69 Bundesliga rating in 26 appearances and 5 goals. In European football, Kimmich also posted a 7.41 Champions League rating in 13 appearances.

The more interesting question is what Nagelsmann does with the rest of the squad once those names are accounted for. There are places to fill, and the final group size can only be between 23 and 26.

Karl is the most intriguing wild card

The teenager who stands out most is Lennart Karl. He is 18 years old, has just two international caps, and is still being considered for a World Cup role on the right wing. That is a serious ask, but it is also the kind of challenge that can shape a squad list if the manager wants an option with real upside rather than another safe body.

Germany's preview makes clear that Karl is not being treated as a token inclusion. He is in the conversation for a genuine role, which says as much about Nagelsmann's openness as it does about the player himself. Marc-André Ter Stegen also sits in the central picture for the squad build-up, but the cleaner story here is the tension between known starters and the last few spots.

That is why May 12 matters. Once the squad is named, the debate moves from speculation to selection, and the most revealing decision may be whether an 18-year-old with two caps is trusted for a World Cup role.

Written by Jack Mercer with AI-assisted research, cross-checked against 1 outlet. How we work →