Maximilian Beier goes into the final stretch before Germany name their World Cup squad on 21 May with a proper argument for selection. He has 20 goal contributions in 43 competitive matches this season, and Friday evening's 3-2 win over Frankfurt brought two more pinpoint assists. That is the kind of output that makes it difficult to ignore a forward, even with Julian Nagelsmann still weighing up how many counter-attacking strikers he wants to take.
Why Beier is forcing the issue
The most useful thing Beier has done is make this about more than a brief run of form. His 20 goal contributions are spread across 43 competitive matches, which gives the numbers a bit more weight than a one-off burst. He has also registered six goals and seven assists in 2026, while his 7.9 rating against Frankfurt fits the same picture of a player arriving in good shape at the right moment.
Niko Kovac has been clear about where he stands. “That's exactly what we need at a World Cup,” he said, and later added: “I think there are many, many reasons. Far more reasons to select him.” Lars Ricken has also described Beier as “outstanding for weeks.” Beier himself put it plainly: “Yes, of course it's important to me. I always give my best. My goal is the World Cup.”
That backing matters because the selection question is not really about whether Beier has done enough at Borussia Dortmund. It is about whether Nagelsmann wants room for one or two players who can give Germany pace in transition. He has said: “As things stand today, we'll probably take one, at most two, of these counter-attacking strikers,” and he has already called Beier a player with a “very good record.”
The case for Beier is stronger than the hesitation around him. Karim Adeyemi, Nico Schlotterbeck and Felix Nmecha are there around him at Dortmund, but it is Beier's own end product that stands out. He has been involved in 20 goals in 43 competitive matches, he has delivered in the latest high-pressure league game, and he has a coach publicly pushing his name.
Germany still have to be named, and that is the point. Beier is not waiting on hope alone. He is waiting on a squad announcement that now has a clear question attached to it: whether Nagelsmann values balance enough to keep him out, or whether the numbers and recent form make the decision obvious enough to bring him in.
Written by Jack Mercer with AI-assisted research, cross-checked against 1 outlet. How we work →
