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Report nowDidi Hamann doesn’t see Germany as a top favorite for the 2026 World Cup. In an interview with blue Sport, the former national team player points out several problem areas—and doesn’t believe in a major upset.
Germany is heading to the World Cup in North America with big ambitions. After the disappointing tournaments of recent years, national team coach Julian Nagelsmann’s squad is finally set to rejoin the world’s elite. Didi Hamann, however, remains cautious.
“If you ask me whether they’ll become world champions, whether I believe it: No,” says the former national team player in an interview with blue Sport. While Germany is certainly among the group of teams that could win the title, the conditions aren’t ideal right now.
One issue for Hamann is the clear division of roles within the squad announced by Nagelsmann. The national team coach had emphasized that every player in the 26-man squad plays an important role for the team—regardless of whether he is in the starting lineup or takes on a supporting role. Hamann sees such a division as a threat to the team’s dynamics.
It is important, he says, to keep the reserve players happy. The regulars are satisfied because they get regular playing time. “You have to look after those who aren’t playing.” If several players already know they’ll hardly play a role, that’s “not conducive.”
In addition to the squad structure, Hamann is particularly concerned about the team’s performance. “The whole package worries me,” he says. Nagelsmann must now forge a functioning unit out of this. He sees room for improvement above all in the offense, especially since Jamal Musiala and Florian Wirtz are not in top form.
The former national team player’s skepticism is not without reason. Germany was eliminated in the group stage at both the 2018 and 2022 World Cups. Their run at the 2021 European Championship also ended in the round of 16. It wasn’t until the 2024 European Championship on home soil that reaching the quarterfinals brought back a sense of optimism.
While Hamann sees signs of progress, he believes the DFB squad is still far from being a serious title contender. “There are areas that need work in every part of the team,” he says. “That’s why I’m not as optimistic as I perhaps have been in the past.”
