News (engl.)

Germany sealed their place at the 2026 World Cup in North America with a dominant 6-0 win over Slovakia in their final qualifier, finishing top of their group. There was visible relief and joy at full time – here’s what some of the players and the head coach had to say.

Julian Nagelsmann: “Every single player put in an outstanding performance today. We got into the game brilliantly, scored some great goals and played some really good football overall. There’s very little to complain about tonight – I’m proud of the team, especially considering the challenges we’ve had to deal with. The way they handled everything and pushed each other on was really impressive.”

Joshua Kimmich: “I knew that if we played close to our top level, we’d win. The coach set us up perfectly, and we executed the plan really well. It was a strong performance all round. Everyone wanted to make a statement tonight – qualification for the World Cup was on the line. I’m really happy with how we won the game.”

Nick Woltemade: “That was a really strong team performance from start to finish – we didn’t let up for a second. We were creative, we were on the front foot, and I think it must’ve been a great game to watch. Personally, I’m just feeling relieved right now. I saw Josh [Kimmich] with the chance to cross, no one was marking me, the ball came in nicely and I was able to finish it off. It’s been an emotional year for me. It’s always an honour to play for Germany – I came through all the youth teams, and now I’m at the top, going to the World Cup. I think we showed the level of quality we have today – and it was great fun out there.”

Nico Schlotterbeck: “When we play like that, we’re a really strong team – we were convincing all over the pitch. I truly believe that once the injured players return, we can have a really good tournament. As defenders, it always helps when the guys in front win the ball early – we didn’t have too much to do today, and I wouldn’t mind a few more games like that! We want to achieve something – I’m going to the World Cup to win it.”