Semi-finalists in the last two Championships and three-time champions, Germany enter Euro 2020 in the middle of a transitional phase.
Manager Joachim Löw sensationally recalled Mats Hummels and Thomas Müller after casting them aside two years ago, while the likes of İlkay Gündoğan, Manuel Neuer and Toni Kroos are also into their 30s.
Germany’s air of tournament superiority took a huge hit at the 2018 World Cup following their embarrassing group stage exit as reigning Champions and the rest of Europe will likely hold considerably less fear this summer as a result.
Group A: TURKEY, Italy, Wales, Switzerland
Captain: Manuel Neuer
Manager: Joachim Löw
FIFA Ranking: 12
Best Finish: Champions (x3) – 1972, 1980 & 1996
Fixtures:
France v GERMANY – 15 June, 20:00 (BST). Allianz Arena, Munich, Germany
Portugal v GERMANY – 19 June, 17:00 (BST). Allianz Arena, Munich, Germany
GERMANY v Hungary – 23 June, 20:00 (BST). Allianz Arena, Munich, Germany
Qualification
Die Mannschaft qualified comfortably by topping qualification Group C ahead of Netherlands, Northern Ireland, Belarus and Estonia. A home defeat by Netherlands proved to be the only points dropped as Joachim Löw’s side won seven out of eight games, with Serge Gnabry’s eight goals the joint most in the group along with Georginio Wijnaldum (8).
Squad
Goalkeepers: Manuel Neuer (Bayern), Bernd Leno (Arsenal), Kevin Trapp (Frankfurt)
Defenders: Emre Can (Dortmund), Matthias Ginter (Mönchengladbach), Robin Gosens (Atalanta), Christian Günter (Freiburg), Marcel Halstenberg (Leipzig), Mats Hummels (Dortmund), Lukas Klostermann (Leipzig), Robin Koch (Leeds), Antonio Rüdiger (Chelsea), Niklas Süle (Bayern)
Midfielders: Serge Gnabry (Bayern), Leon Goretzka (Bayern), İlkay Gündoğan (Manchester City), Jonas Hofmann (Mönchengladbach), Joshua Kimmich (Bayern), Toni Kroos (Real Madrid), Jamal Musiala (Bayern), Florian Neuhaus (Mönchengladbach), Leroy Sané (Bayern)
Forwards: Kai Havertz (Chelsea), Thomas Müller (Bayern), Kevin Volland (Monaco), Timo Werner (Chelsea)
Source: UEFA.com
Danger Man – Serge Gnabry
Despite being deemed not good enough for West Brom by Tony Pulis, Serge Gnabry is now a regular for Bayern Munich and Germany in attack.
With a clinical record of 16 goals in 22 international appearances to date, and combined with the disappointing form of Timo Werner, Gnabry goes into Euro 2020 as Germany’s biggest goal threat.
One to Watch – Jamal Musiala
A regular for Bayern Munich in 2020/21, 18-year-old Jamal Musiala is set for a long and prosperous career at the top of the game.
With three senior caps to his name already following his switch of international allegiance from England, Musiala is not in Germany’s squad simply to make up the numbers.
Premier League Representation
Six members of Germany’s 26-man squad featured in the Premier League in 2020/21 – Antonio Rudiger, Timo Werner, Kai Havertz, İlkay Gündoğan, Bernd Leno and Robin Koch.
Elsewhere, Leroy Sane, Emre Can and Serge Gnabry have English top flight experience from years gone by.
Route to the Final
- If Germany top the group, they will play the team who finishes third in Group A, B or C.
- If Germany finish second, they will face the team who finish top of Group D (England, Croatia, Scotland, Czech Republic)
- If they finish as one of the four best third place teams, they will play the winner of either Group B or C.
After the second round, the draw will depend on which third place teams qualified for the knockout stages.
Stats
- Germany have not conceded the first goal in a European Championships group stage match since a 2-1 loss to Croatia at Euro 2008.
- Germany did not lose a single match in their first three European Championships (lost on penalties in the 1976 final).
- Toni Kroos and Thomas Muller (both 102) could move as high as sixth in the list of Germany’s most capped players, at Euro 2020.
