The group played a crucial role in Germany’s four FIFA World Cup victories. When Germany won the UEFA EURO in 1996, coach Berti Vogts was known to remark, “The star is the team,” and that statement has remained true throughout time.
Indeed, it still has the same weight today as it had then. The strength of Hansi Flick’s team lies in its teamwork and ability to be greater than the sum of its parts, led by what has now virtually become a German tradition of having a solid core of Bayern players. And while this makes the task of choosing their players even harder, we have still chosen five crucial players for Germany in the run-up to the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022, where the nation will be looking to put the country’s heartbreaking group-stage elimination from Russia 2018 behind them.
Manuel Neuer
Position: Goalkeeper
Age: 36
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Manuel Neuer obviously comes at the top of this list, literally and metaphorically. The 36-year-old Bayern Munich keeper will have a number of key roles to play in Qatar as captain, on-field leader and first-choice goalkeeper. The Brazil 2014 winner, who has revolutionised the keeper position by playing as an 11th outfielder, is still one of the best in the world at his job and will be looking to prove that in Qatar and steer his team to another trophy.
Recent statistics also back up the 113-time international’s prowess. In last season’s Bundesliga campaign, Neuer helped Bayern Munich to yet another German league title by conceding a mere 26 goals in 28 appearances, including 10 clean sheets. He has also been impressing for the national team, putting in yet more strong performances in June’s round of UEFA Nations League matches. And in six qualifiers for Qatar 2022, he did not let a single goal past him.
Antonio Rudiger
Position: Centre-back
Age: 29
The era of Mats Hummels and Jerome Boateng in the centre of the German defence is now in the past. After the two veterans were moved on by Flick’s predecessor Joachim Low, there have been changes at the back. The new defensive leader is Antonio Rudiger, who moved from Chelsea, with whom he won the UEFA Champions League in 2020/21, to Real Madrid ahead of this season for 40 million euros, further underlining his burgeoning reputation.
Rudiger made himself a fixture in the national team a number of years ago. With his physical presence and strength in the one-on-one situations, he brings a real solidity to the German defence. Born in Berlin but with family from Sierra Leone, he has already racked up 53 caps. In qualifying for Qatar 2022, he played the full 90 minutes for seven matches and scored his second goal for his country in the 4-0 win away to Iceland.
Joshua Kimmich
Position: Defensive midfielder
Age: 27
Alongside Neuer, Joshua Kimmich is probably one of the most important elements in Flick’s squad. The Bayern Munich man is a versatile player who stands out for his commitment, passion and unstinting willingness to push through the pain barrier. His fiery temperament makes him a regular target for provocation by the opposition, but rarely does Kimmich cross the line. He is entering his prime at 27 but already has a well-stocked trophy cabinet, with seven German Bundesliga titles, three DFB Cup triumphs, a UEFA Champions-League-winner’s medal and another from the FIFA Club World Cup™.
Kimmich is one of the first names on the team-sheet for Germany. He has already represented his country on 67 occasions, scoring four goals – a modest haul for a defensive midfielder who likes to get forward into dangerous positions for his club, but for Flick’s team, that is less of a priority. As a No6, Kimmich is there to win duels and be the pivot of the build-up. In this central role, he is an absolutely key figure for Germany, and his form at the World Cup in Qatar will be decisive in how the team fares.
Thomas Muller
Position: Attacking midfielder, forward
Age: 33
Thomas Muller is again one of the pillars of the German team. Unlike Hummels and Boateng, the affable Bavarian managed to get himself back into the squad after Low wielded the axe. The 33-year-old Bayern Munich stalwart, who can play in attacking midfield or anywhere across the forward line, has a trophy room that is fit to burst and plenty of international experience – just what is required as far as Flick’s squad is concerned. As an added bonus to his incredible qualities on the pitch, ‘Radio Muller’, as he is known, plays the role of team comedian on the bus and in the dressing room, ensuring that his colleagues always have a smile on their faces.
With 116 appearances for his country and 44 goals, Muller is the fifth-most capped German player, with long-time team-mate Bastian Schweinsteiger (121) well and truly in his sights. Eight goals and 21 assists in 32 Bundesliga matches in 2021/22 speak for themselves and prove that Muller is at the top of his game despite his relatively advancing years. He is an almost certain starter in the national team at the moment, with six goal involvements (three goals and three assists) in just four World Cup qualifiers. Muller is another player who will be looking to get his hands on the trophy in Qatar for the second time, after hoisting it aloft in 2014.
Timo Werner
Position: Forward
Age: 26
Timo Werner is a player who divides opinion. The 26-year-old Stuttgart-born attacker comes in for regular flak from fans and experts alike, most often if and when he fails to capitalise on a gilt-edged chance. Last season’s statistics are an example of what Werner can and must build on. In the Champions League, a tournament he won with Chelsea in 2021, he scored four goals in five games, while in the Premier League it was four in 21.
The routes that he runs often go underestimated, with his speed often creating gaps in defences for his team-mates to benefit from in the attacking third. The former Stuttgart player also knows where the goal is himself, having found the back of the net 89 times in 221 Bundesliga appearances. After two years with Chelsea, Werner made a 20-million-euro move In August back to Leipzig, where he had enjoyed plenty of success between 2016 and 2020, and where he hopes to get back to previous form and underline his value for his country.
In a Germany shirt, the stats make a good case for Werner, who has 24 goals to his name in 53 appearances. The fact that he is the only ‘genuine’ striker in the German squad also makes him a de facto key player – a fact recognised by Flick, who is always quick to give him the pat on the back that number nines tend to need. In recent times, Werner has usually found himself in the starting XI and he repaid that trust in June, bagging a brace in the 5-2 Nations League win over Italy. In qualifying for Qatar 2022, he scored five goals plus an assist in eight games. For Werner, his club performances ahead of the World Cup may well prove decisive. What we can be sure of though is that if he is at his best, Germany will provide plenty of headaches for opposition defences in Qatar.
