Steffen Tigges: I See Germany As One Of The 2026 World Cup Favourites | OneFootball

On matchday 34, with a 4-0 win over 1 FC Kaiserslautern, 1 FC Köln won the 2. Bundesliga title for the fifth time. Now that a transfer ban (imposed on the club for an alleged irregular approach for a player in 2023) is over, planning for their return to the first tier can begin.

On Tuesday, the club from the Rhine reached a deal in principle to appoint SC Paderborn’s Lukas Kwasniok as their new head coach.

Kwasniok led Paderborn to a 4th-place finish in the 2. Bundesliga last season, missing out on the playoffs by just three points.

Köln striker Steffen Tigges believes the club are in a strong position to benefit from their promotion.

He also underscores his belief in the progression of the German national team under Julian Nagelsmann, who face Portugal in the UEFA Nations League semifinals in Munich on Wednesday.

The 26-year-old who made 16 appearances in the 2. Bundesliga this season gives insight into what makes playing for the Rhein-Energie Stadion-based club unique, his progression through the ranks with Borussia Dortmund, playing with former team-mates Erling Haaland and Youssoufa Moukoko, and looks ahead to Germany’s chances at the 2026 World Cup.

An interview with Steffen Tigges, by Ben McFadyean.

1. FC Köln were relegated from the Bundesliga in 2024. How would you see the chances for the club in the top division this time around?

“We have all the qualities we need, 1. FC Köln are in an excellent position, we have a fantastic squad and team spirit. It is important for the club and the people here to achieve direct promotion to the Bundesliga after relegation and the difficult time. The top tier is a big challenge but we will be ready.”

Your club is known for having a familiar, even family atmosphere. What is unique about the 2-time Deutsche Meister for you?

“Everyone in this city loves the club and is interested in it. That’s why everyone suffers when things aren’t going well. On the other hand, when things are going well, everyone is euphoric. It’s a very warm environment. That makes the club stand out.”

You played for Borussia Dortmund between the ages of 19 and 22 and leapfrogged the U23s to the first team. Many young players have made the breakthrough with Köln, such as Julian Pauli, Max Finkgräf, and Damien Downs, but young academy players struggle to get into the first team at BVB. Why is that in your view?

“You can develop in the youth programme at BVB under perfect conditions, and, of course, as a U19 or U23 player, you also have access to the professional team and can train regularly with the first team. But there are still a lot of good young players who don’t make the leap straight away because they need another year or two, and you don’t get that at a club where the pressure is so great. It’s a huge challenge to establish yourself in a squad like BVB.”

Would it be fair to say that the expectations of players with the eight-time German champions BVB is immensely high?

“BVB is a star team, and the expectations are very high; the quality is clearly different, and the demands on the players are also different. When a position needs to be filled, they don’t always look at talented players who might need to be given a bit of time. It’s more of a case of trying to buy something suitable. Sometimes, you must be in the right place at the right time and have some luck, knowing that the exact position is in demand. I had exactly that, because a striker was missing and I could show myself.”

During your time at BVB, you also played with Erling Haaland, whom you were often compared to when you were younger. What is unique about this player and his personality? What did you learn from him?

“With his power and physical presence, Erling is a machine, especially in front of the goal. He always has the right runs, and his positioning in the box is world-class. You can learn a lot from players like Erling or Jude Bellingham and Jadon Sancho, who I played with at BVB. They always go full throttle in training, try to get fully involved in every session, and take on responsibility early on.”

Your former fellow attacker, Youssoufa Moukoko, is currently on loan to Nice in Ligue 1, but has only made 11 appearances this season, and according to media reports, the loan may be terminated. Despite his talent, he had also failed to establish himself at Dortmund. Do you still think Youssoufa can make his big breakthrough?

“He has great talent and is still very young. He’s under a lot of pressure, expectations are very high, especially in the media, and that doesn’t always help. If he can develop in peace and is given the necessary time, he can become a good player.”

You are a U20 international yourself and have played alongside current senior internationals such as Julian Brandt. How is the German national team developing under Julian Nagelsmann? What has Julian changed for the better in your view?

“The team’s spirit is absolutely great, and the European Championships in our own country has also created something here, also the media, and the fans. Almost everyone is watching the Germany games again. The boys play with joy; you can just tell that everyone is really enjoying playing for the national team. This is a team with a good plan and a strategy which will pay off in the long term. Of course, they also have great quality in the squad.”

What do you think Nagelsmann and Co. can achieve in the World Cup 2026 in the USA, Canada, and Mexico in 2026?

‘The World Cup title is feasible. If Germany’s development continues as it has so far, I see the DFB team as one of the favourites.”

Steffen Tigges (born 31 July 1998) is a German professional footballer who plays as a striker for 2. Bundesliga club 1. FC Köln.

Tigges started his career at his hometown club VfL Osnabrück. He was part of the Osnabrück team that won the 2018–19 3. Liga championship, but only made five starts, playing primarily as a left winger. With his contract expiring, it was announced in April that he would join Borussia Dortmund II, the club’s U23s, in the Regionalliga-West for the following season.

Tigges scored nine goals in the Regionalliga West during his first year with Dortmund II. In his second season, Tigges captained Dortmund II as they won the Regionalliga West, scored 22 goals, and played in the first team. His first game for the senior team was a DFB-Pokal match against Eintracht Braunschweig.

On 3 January 2021, Tigges became a substitute for Erling Haaland in Borussia Dortmund’s match against VfL Wolfsburg, making his Bundesliga debut. He made six appearances in the 2020–21 Bundesliga and played in the UEFA Champions League knockout stages against Manchester City.

In the 20/21 season. Tigges played in all competitions for the Dortmund first team, scoring 3 Bundesliga goals.

Tigges joined 1. FC Köln in 2022. In October, he scored his first goal for Köln in a 3-2 comeback win over former club Dortmund and two in another 3-2 win two weeks later against FC Augsburg.

Tigges scored a goal from his half against Werder Bremen in a surprise 7-1 win in the first game of 2023, in which he managed a brace and an assist. He ended the season with six goals as the club’s highest scoring striker.

In the 2023-24 season, Tigges did not score until the 28th match day, but scored two crucial equalisers in comebacks against VfL Bochum and Union Berlin, which gave Köln a chance of survival. Köln were ultimately relegated, finishing 17th and scoring the fewest goals in the league.