Waldemar Anton is making his Germany argument through reliability, not noise. Borussia Dortmund have kept three clean sheets in their first four Bundesliga matches and sit top of the table, while Anton completed all 35 of his starts across the Bundesliga and DFB Cup last season. He has also played every league match for Dortmund so far this season, which is exactly the sort of base a centre-back needs when national-team places are up for grabs.
Dortmund's defence and Anton's role
The early numbers are tidy enough on their own. Dortmund have conceded only two league goals in four matches, and Anton’s 7.22 Bundesliga rating reflects a defender who has settled into the job quickly. His 91 percent passing accuracy last season also fits the way Dortmund want their centre-backs to keep the ball moving rather than just clear it long.
Niko Kovač called him a leader and said, “Waldi is a leader! But what’s even more important to me is that he’s someone who leads by example”. Julian Nagelsmann has gone further on the international side, calling Anton “an absolute glue for the team” and “a quiet leader”. Those are the sort of phrases that usually sit behind a player being considered for a bigger role, not just a stopgap call-up.
The selection case Germany will weigh
Dortmund’s 1-0 win over VfB Stuttgart, Anton’s former club, was another small reminder of how settled he looks in this side. The club signed him from Stuttgart in the summer of 2024, and he has given them four Bundesliga appearances this season while the defence has held firm without overcomplicating things.
The caveat is simple. Nico Schlotterbeck injured his ankle at the FIFA World Cup 2026 with Germany, and Emre Can was out for at least the first few matches, so Anton has had help from the wider context as well as his own form. He still has to keep doing the basics well when Germany meet Serbia on 1 October and Greece three days later.
Written by Jack Mercer with AI-assisted research, cross-checked against 1 outlet. How we work →
