The German national team will face Paraguay on Monday evening at the 2026 World Cup to secure a spot in the Round of 16. National team coach Julian Nagelsmann is considering a few adjustments ahead of the match. Will this affect the Bayern stars?
That’s a perfectly valid question. So far, Manuel Neuer, Joshua Kimmich, Jonathan Tah, Aleksandar Pavlovic, and Jamal Musiala have always been in the starting lineup. Leon Goretzka has been limited to a role as a substitute.
However, there has certainly been criticism and some surprise regarding one or two Bayern players, including goalkeeper Neuer. While the goalkeeper will certainly be back in net, not all of the record champions’ other players are guaranteed spots.
While the debate surrounding Kimmich once again centers on which position he should play, some experts have expressed doubts about Pavlovic and Musiala’s performances in this tournament.
Nagelsmann is considering changes
At the press conference ahead of the match against Paraguay (10:30 p.m., live on ZDF and Magenta TV), the national team coach spoke about whether there might be changes to the lineup.
“There are tactical considerations for making some changes tomorrow. But it’s also a valid option to leave everything as is regarding the starting lineup,” said Nagelsmann. Above all, he emphasized that it’s important “to adjust things so that our players feel comfortable and can focus on our game plan.”
Above all, there needs to be more momentum in the game on the offensive end. “It’s important for us to always find the right position to score goals. But we also have to recognize when we’re not able to do that,” Nagelsmann continued.
The attacking players around Musiala, in particular, have already had a chance to warm up during a special training session. Accordingly, he could be in the starting lineup again today, even if there’s no guarantee of that.