How Julian Naglesmann helped Germany forget the ghosts of 2018 and 2022 | FIFA World Cup 2026

For the first time since lifting the World Cup in Brazil in 2014, Germany have secured a place in the knockout stages of football’s biggest tournament.

Their dramatic extra-time victory over Ivory Coast not only guaranteed qualification but also ended a painful run of failures that had seen the four-time champions crash out in the group stage at both the 2018 and 2022 World Cups.

At the centre of the turnaround is Julian Nagelsmann, the youngest coach at the tournament and the man tasked with restoring Germany’s identity after years of inconsistency.

While many supporters celebrated the achievement, 38-year-old Nagelsmann was quick to underline that Germany’s ambitions extend far beyond merely surviving the group stage.

“Our target was never just to qualify for the next round,” Nagelsmann said. “The team has bigger goals and our focus remains on what comes next.”

Nagelsmann’s impact on the national team

Since taking charge in September 2023, Nagelsmann has steadily rebuilt confidence within the German squad. His tactical flexibility, trust in younger players and willingness to move away from established hierarchies have helped Germany rediscover the intensity that once made them one of international football’s most feared sides.

Against Ivory Coast, that resilience was on full display.

After falling behind to a first-half strike from Franck Kessie, Germany dominated possession, pushed the African side deeper into their own half and eventually found a way back. Substitute Deniz Undav emerged as the hero, scoring twice, including the decisive goal in extra time.

The comeback highlighted one of Nagelsmann’s biggest strengths: the depth he has cultivated throughout the squad. 

      Undav and Germany’s new generation step up

  Undav’s performance has intensified calls for the Stuttgart forward to earn a place in the starting lineup for Germany’s final group-stage match against Ecuador.

“Every player wants to start games, but what matters most is having an impact,” he said. “Deniz has been exceptional in the role he’s been given and he continues to make a difference whenever he enters the pitch.”

Undav is one of several players who have flourished under Nagelsmann. Alongside established stars such as Jamal Musiala, Florian Wirtz and Kai Havertz, Germany now possess a blend of youth and experience that appears capable of challenging the tournament’s leading contenders.

Their attacking football, combined with greater tactical balance, has offered supporters reasons to believe that Germany’s long-awaited revival may finally be taking shape.

For Germany, qualification represents an important psychological breakthrough. The memories of Russia 2018 and Qatar 2022 have lingered over the national team for years, turning every World Cup group-stage match into a test of nerves.

Nagelsmann’s side have now cleared that hurdle.

Yet the German coach has made it clear that ending the knockout-stage drought is only the beginning. The real measure of progress will come in the rounds ahead, where Germany will attempt to prove that their resurgence is not merely a recovery from past failures but the start of another serious challenge for football’s biggest prize.