Germany’s Wirtz and Gnabry Lead the Charge as Luxembourg Stand in the Way

Preview and Stakes

Julian Nagelsmann named the Germany squad to host Luxembourg at the PreZero Arena on Friday, as part of the European qualifying campaign for the 2026 FIFA World Cup in the United States, Mexico, and Canada. The Mannschaft sit third in Group 1 with three points, while Luxembourg occupy the bottom spot with zero. Germany were edged 2-0 away to Slovakia in their opener and bounced back with a 3-1 win over Northern Ireland at home.

Luxembourg, by contrast, started with a 3-1 defeat to Ireland and followed it with a 1-0 loss to Slovakia, both at home. The teams meet in Sinsheim on Friday, with a second match in Belfast on October 13 against Ireland looming on the schedule.

The game carries clear implications: the group winner advances directly to the World Cup finals in North America, while Germany will look to cement their position or climb to the top with a strong performance in front of their fans.

Starting XIs and Squad Notes

Here is Germany’s starting XI for today’s match: Baumann - Kimmich - Tah - Schlotterbeck - Raum - Goretzka - Pavlovic - Gnabry - Wirtz - Ademi - Voltimède. On the bench for Germany: Nobel - Dahmen - Anton - Koch - Bako - Pier - Amiri - Nemec - Stiller - Braun - Burkardt - Andrich.

Luxembourg’s lineup, announced by coach Strasser, is: Maurice - Carlsson - Koratch - Mahmutović - Jans - Martins - Ulissen - Bohner t - Barerro - Morira - Dardari.

Germany vs Luxembourg — Historical context

The two teams have met 13 times, with Germany claiming 12 wins and Luxembourg one, a 2-1 Luxembourg victory in a 1939 friendly. They had only met once in World Cup qualifiers prior to 2026, a 9-1 Germany win in 1934. In Euro 1992 qualifiers, Germany won 4-0 at home and 3-2 away, and in the 1936 Olympics Germany prevailed 9-0 in the knockout stage. Overall, Germany has scored 60 goals in these games and conceded 11.

Playoff implications

Only the group winner directly qualifies for the World Cup finals. If Germany fail to finish top, they would enter the March 2026 two-legged playoff, a path no German side has fearfully avoided in the modern era. The current squad reflects a mix of experience and fresh faces as they chase the one direct slot remaining in the European zone.

Germany’s provisional squad for the international window includes:

Goal: Baumann (Hoffenheim) - Dahmen (Augsburg) - Nübel (Stuttgart)

Defence: Andrich (Leverkusen) - Anton (Dortmund) - Baku (Leipzig) - Brown (Eintracht Frankfurt) - Koch (Eintracht Frankfurt) - Rom (Leipzig) - Schlotterbeck (Dortmund) - Tah (Bayern Munich)

Midfield: Adeimi (Dortmund) - Amiri (Mainz) - Gnabry (Bayern) - Goretzka (Bayern) - Kimmich (Bayern) - Lyleus L-Leuinling (Stuttgart) - Nemichà (Dortmund) - Stiller (Stuttgart) - Virts (Liverpool)

Attack: Volltimade (Dortmund) - Burkardt (Eintracht Frankfurt) - Voltimade (Newcastle)

Luxembourg squad notes

Luxembourg’s squad is a mix of domestic-based players and a few plying their trade in neighboring leagues, as they look to upset the odds against a Germany side chasing top spot and momentum ahead of the next international fixtures.

Head-to-head and World Cup context

Germany’s World Cup pedigree is long and storied, boasting four titles — tied with Italy for second-most behind Brazil’s five. Since their most recent triumph in 2014, the Mannschaft have endured rough patches in global events, including early exits at Russia 2018 and Qatar 2022. In continental play, Germany reached the Euro 2016 semi-finals, bowed out at the Euro 2021 round of 16, and hosted the Nations League finals in 2023, finishing fourth after losses to Portugal and France. This match, though, is about securing a direct route to the 2026 finals and setting the tone for the rest of the qualifying campaign.

Bottom line: it’s a clash between a defending behemoth trying to reclaim form and a Luxembourg side that will be hoping to spring a surprise on a big stage. Expect a disciplined German showing with Wirtz’s creativity and Gnabry’s finishing quality at the fore, balanced by Luxembourg’s defensive organization and counter-punching threat. As the coach might say after a tense encounter: if you’re not enjoying the ride, you’re probably counting the empty seats — and yes, even the seats count goals in the long run. Punchline time: if Luxembourg parked the bus, Germany would need a space heater; if Germany parked the bus, Luxembourg would borrow a spare parking lot. And yes, both teams brought snacks to the press conference — because football is a snackable sport on days like this.