🧐 Candidates for 2026: How Nagelsmann’s debutants have fared so far | OneFootball

Nick Woltemade not only made his debut against Portugal but also started the game from the beginning. This was not the case for all of Julian Nagelsmann's debutants, as some only played for a few minutes. But how did things go for the players after their debut? Can some of them even calculate their chances for the 2026 World Cup? We have created a ranking.

Firstly, 17 players have made their debut under Nagelsmann so far. Without cheating: can you still remember all 17 of them?

Now, let's get to the ranking.

17. Kevin Behrens

Kevin Behrens' time with the DFB was short-lived: he played three minutes in the 2-2 draw against Mexico in October 2023. Since then, he has not been considered again.

16. Marvin Ducksch

Marvin Ducksch's two international appearances did not really go well. He was substituted in against Turkey (2-3) and in Austria (0-2) in November 2023. Further appearances are unlikely to happen because the competition in the attack is too great.

15. Chris Führich

He was the first debutant under Nagelsmann, when he was substituted in during the USA game (3-1 win). Seven more short appearances and one start followed. However, this year he has not been considered by the national coach yet. "He has relatively a lot of playing time at VfB, but what comes out of it is limited," Nagelsmann said in March. Without a huge explosion of performance, his chances of playing, including for the World Cup, could continue to decline.

14. Nick Woltemade

The newest debutant under Julian Nagelsmann is probably more of a long-term future prospect. If all the strikers are fit, the national coach will likely rely on more experienced players like Tim Kleindienst in 2026.

📸 Alexander Hassenstein - 2025 Getty Images

13. Jamie Leweling

His debut against the Netherlands was crowned with his goal for the 1-0 win against the Netherlands. However, he was not considered for the current nomination. Since the competition in the offense is great, it will be difficult for him to get a World Cup ticket.

12. Yann Bisseck

His injury in the Champions League final ruined his chances. Otherwise, Bisseck would have been in the team for the current international matches. So, the defender has only one international appearance so far. If he continues to perform well, he could recommend himself for a World Cup spot.

11. Jonathan Burkardt

In his debut against Bosnia-Herzegovina, the Mainz player almost scored a goal, so he still has to wait for his first goal in the DFB jersey (three appearances so far). As with Nick Woltemade, the competition in the attack might be too great for him, and the 2026 World Cup might come a bit too early.

10. Maximilian Beier

The Dortmund striker was substituted in more often than Burkardt. In his debut against Ukraine (0-0), he was able to leave his mark on the game without scoring a goal. Whether it will be enough for the young player to make it to the 2026 World Cup remains to be seen.

9. Alexander Nübel

Alexander Nübel has played two DFB games so far, which he played over the entire playing time. When Marc-André ter Stegen was injured, the Stuttgart player also lost out to Oliver Baumann. In the long term, he could become the new number one, but for now, Nübel has to let the older generation take precedence.

8. Oliver Baumann

Like Nübel, Baumann also lost out to ter Stegen, as Nagelsmann has already decided on a number one for the 2026 World Cup. Due to the number of international appearances (4), he ranks slightly better than Nübel in this ranking.

📸 Alexander Hassenstein - 2024 Getty Images

7. Robert Andrich

Since his debut against Austria, the Leverkusen player has played in every game (13 starts and five substitutions). Until now. Because against Portugal, the 30-year-old only sat on the bench. Nagelsmann justified his nomination by saying that one doesn't simply drop players just because they're not playing for their club at the moment. However, Andrich will likely need more appearances for his club to be included in the World Cup squad.

6. Deniz Undav

There was surprise in the German media when Deniz Undav was nominated for the current international matches and not Jonathan Burkardt, for example. However, Nagelsmann seems to be relying on the Stuttgart player. With four goals in five international appearances, Undav has already shown his scoring ability, but like Andrich, a lot will depend on the upcoming season, especially since the competition in the offense is great.

5. Waldemar Anton

In March, the Dortmund player was dropped from the DFB squad for sporting reasons, but against Portugal, he was back in the starting lineup in central defense. This also shows that if Anton performs well, he has chances with Nagelsmann. Although, with a view to the World Cup, it will likely be a backup role if Antonio Rüdiger is fit again.

4. Aleksandar Pavlović

The Bayern youngster has been repeatedly set back by injuries, missing the European Championship and only playing five times for the DFB team. In his second international appearance, he scored a goal against Hungary. "Pavlo should take all the time in the world to get healthy again and then accumulate as much playing time as possible to continue his great development," Nagelsmann said in March. Thus, he is also a candidate for the World Cup squad.

3. Angelo Stiller

The Stuttgart player also had injury problems and had to cancel his participation in the current international matches. However, together with Pavlović, Stiller seems to be the future in midfield. "They wanted the balls immediately and tried to create something - without fear," Nagelsmann said after the 5-0 win against Hungary, when Stiller made his debut.

2. Maxi Mittelstädt

Stiller's Stuttgart colleague has had many more appearances - 18, to be exact. Mittelstädt also started directly in the starting lineup for his debut and played over 90 minutes. "If I look at Maxi Mittelstädt, for example, who played his first international match, how calmly he played it today - that's absolutely praiseworthy," Toni Kroos said in a Sky interview at the time. Since then, Mittelstädt has been able to collect more plus points and make hopes for the 2026 World Cup.

1. Tim Kleindienst

The striker is the winner among Nagelsmann's debutants. In six games, he scored four goals and provided one assist. He would probably have been nominated for the current Nations League games if he hadn't gotten injured. If he continues to maintain his form, he could push out competitors like Füllkrug and become a candidate for the World Cup.

This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇩🇪 here.

📸 KIRILL KUDRYAVTSEV - AFP or licensors