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Germany will have the expectation of a nation on their shoulders this summer as they prepare for the home European Championship.
It is the first major men’s international tournament the country has held since the 2006 World Cup and they are expected to perform well under Julian Nagelsmann’s guidance.
Germany exited the 2022 World Cup in the group stages after a horrific three games under Hansi Flick, but their squad is extremely talented and they have been backed as potential Euro 2024 winners by many.
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Nagelsmann will have the likes of Florian Wirtz and Jamal Musiala to call upon in attack, while Antonio Rudiger – who many consider to be one of the world’s best defenders – will marshal the backline.
Below, FootballTransfers predicts Germany’s first-choice starting XI at Euro 2024.
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How Germany will line up at Euro 2024
Manuel Neuer is now 38 years old, but he remains Germany’s number one goalkeeper, despite competition from Barcelona’s Marc-Andre ter Stegen.
Joshua Kimmich is now a regular at right-back for Bayern Munich and he will play in that position for Germany at the Euros, while Stuttgart’s Maximilian Mittelstadt will be deployed on the opposite side.
Antonio Rudiger will be the first-choice centre-back and Bayer Leverkusen’s Jonathan Tah is expected to partner the Real Madrid star, although Nico Schlotterbeck could also start. Mats Hummels was not included in Germany’s squad and will therefore play no part.
Toni Kroos has come out of international retirement to star at the tournament and he will receive midfield protection from Leverkusen’s Robert Andrich.
In Nagelsmann’s 4-2-3-1 system, he will likely choose Florian Wirtz, Ilkay Gundogan and Jamal Musiala to play as the three attacking midfielders.
Alternatively, Gundogan could drop to the bench, Wirtz could play as a No.10 and Leroy Sane could come into the starting XI as a right winger.
However, Nagelsmann preferred a narrow formation during the March international break, with Musiala, Wirtz and Gundogan playing in front of Kroos and Andrich.
Up front, Kai Havertz and Niclas Fullkrug will battle for a starting spot. Both players are incredibly talented, although Havertz is more likely to be rewarded with a place in Nagelsmann’s favoured XI.
Germany’s starting XI at Euro 2024
GK: Manuel Neuer
RB: Joshua Kimmich
CB: Antonio Rudiger
CB: Jonathan Tah
LB: Maximilian Mittelstadt
CDM: Toni Kroos
CDM: Robert Andrich
RW: Florian Wirtz
CAM: Ilkay Gundogan
LW: Jamal Musiala
ST: Kai Havertz
Germany’s Euro 2024 squad
Germany have announced a provisional 27-man squad as follows:
Goalkeepers: Oliver Baumann (Hoffenheim), Alex Nubel (Stuttgart), Manuel Neuer (Bayern Munich), Marc-Andre ter Stegen (Barcelona).
Defenders: Waldemar Anton (Stuttgart), Benjamin Henrichs (RB Leipzig), Joshua Kimmich (Bayern Munich), Robin Koch (Eintracht Frankfurt), Maximilian Mittelstadt (Stuttgart), David Raum (RB Leipzig), Antonio Rudiger (Real Madrid), Nico Schlotterbeck (Borussia Dortmund), Jonathan Tah (Bayer Leverkusen).
Midfielders: Robert Andrich (Bayer Leverkusen), Chris Fuhrich (Stuttgart), Pascal Gross (Brighton & Hove Albion), Ilkay Gundogan (Barcelona), Toni Kroos (Real Madrid), Jamal Musiala (Bayern Munich), Aleksandar Pavlovic (Bayern Munich), Leroy Sane (Bayern Munich), Florian Wirtz (Bayer Leverkusen).
Forwards: Maximilian Beier (Hoffenheim), Niclas Fullkrug (Borussia Dortmund), Kai Havertz (Arsenal), Thomas Muller (Bayern Munich), Deniz Undav (Stuttgart).