Germany national football team facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Germany

Nickname(s)	DFB-Team (DFB Team) Die Nationalelf (The National Eleven) DFB-Elf (DFB Eleven) Die Mannschaft (The Team)
Association	Deutscher Fußball-Bund (DFB)
Confederation	UEFA (Europe)
Head coach	Julian Nagelsmann
Captain	Joshua Kimmich
Most caps	Lothar Matthäus (150)
Top scorer	Miroslav Klose (71)
Home stadium	Various
FIFA code	GER
First colours Second colours Anniversary colours
FIFA ranking
Current	16 (7 February 2019)
Highest	1 (December 1992 – August 1993, December 1993 – March 1994, June 1994, July 2014 – June 2015, July 2017, September 2017 – June 2018)
Lowest	22 (March 2006)
Elo ranking
Current	9 7 (3 March 2019)
Highest	1 (1990–92, 1993–94, 1996–97, July 2014 – May 2016, October 2017 – November 2017)
Lowest	24 (September 1924 – October 1925)
First international
Switzerland 5–3 Germany  (Basel, Switzerland; 5 April 1908)
Biggest win
Germany 16–0 Russian Empire (Stockholm, Sweden; 1 July 1912)
Biggest defeat
England Amateurs 9–0 Germany  (Oxford, England; 13 March 1909)
World Cup
Appearances	20 (first in 1934)
Best result	Champions (1954, 1974, 1990, 2014)
European Championship
Appearances	14 (first in 1972)
Best result	Champions (1972, 1980, 1996)
Nations League Finals
Appearances	1 (first in 2025)
Best result	Fourth place (2025)
Summer Olympic Games
Appearances	8 (first in 1912)
Best result	Bronze medal (1988)
Confederations Cup
Appearances	3 (first in 1999)
Best result	Champions (2017)
Medal record FIFA World Cup Gold 1954 Switzerland Team Gold 1974 West Germany Team Gold 1990 Italy Team Gold 2014 Brazil Team Silver 1966 England Team Silver 1982 Spain Team Silver 1986 Mexico Team Silver 2002 South Korea–Japan Team Bronze 1934 Italy Team Bronze 1970 Mexico Team Bronze 2006 Germany Team Bronze 2010 South Africa Team UEFA European Championship Gold 1972 Belgium Team Gold 1980 Italy Team Gold 1996 England Team Silver 1976 Yugoslavia Team Silver 1992 Sweden Team Silver 2008 Austria–Switzerland Team Bronze 2012 Poland–Ukraine (with Portugal) Team Olympics Games Bronze 1988 Seoul Team FIFA Confederations Cup Gold 2017 Russia Team Bronze 2005 Germany Team

The Germany national football team is a famous soccer team that plays for Germany. They played their very first game in 1908. The team is managed by the German Football Association (DFB). This group was started in 1900. For a long time, from 1949 to 1990, Germany was split into different parts. Because of this, there were separate German football teams. These included West Germany, Saarland, and East Germany. After Germany became one country again in 1990, these teams joined together. The current team represents the united Germany.

Germany is one of the most successful football teams in the world. They have won the FIFA World Cup four times: in 1954, 1974, 1990, and 2014. This means they are tied with Italy for second most wins. Only Brazil has won more World Cups. Germany has also won the UEFA European Championship three times (in 1972, 1980, and 1996). They are second only to Spain in this competition. In 2017, Germany also won the FIFA Confederations Cup. They have been runners-up many times in both the World Cup and European Championship. East Germany also won an Olympic Gold medal in football in 1976. Germany is special because it's one of only two countries to win both the men's and women's World Cups.

The History of German Football

Early Days (1899–1942)

Before a national team was officially formed, some international games were played in Germany. The first official match for the Germany national football team happened on April 5, 1908. They played against Switzerland in Basel, and Switzerland won 5–3.

Early games against England were tough. In March 1909, Germany had its biggest official loss, 9–0, against England's amateur team. These early matches started a long and exciting rivalry between the two teams.

Julius Hirsch was the first Jewish player to play for the Germany national team. He joined in 1911. In 1912, Hirsch scored four goals against the Netherlands. This made him the first German to score so many goals in one game.

Gottfried Fuchs set a world record by scoring 10 goals for Germany in a 16–0 win against Russia. This happened at the 1912 Olympics in Stockholm. He was the top scorer of that tournament. Fuchs was also Jewish, and sadly, references to him were removed from German football records for a time.

At first, players were chosen by the DFB, as there was no main coach. The first manager was Otto Nerz, who coached from 1926 to 1936. Germany could not travel to Uruguay for the first World Cup in 1930 because of money problems. But they finished third in the 1934 World Cup, which was their first time in the competition.

After the 1936 Olympic Games, Sepp Herberger became the coach. In 1937, he put together a strong team called the Breslau Elf. They got this name after winning 8–0 against Denmark in the city of Breslau.

After Austria joined Germany in 1938, the strong Austrian national team was combined with the German team. This was done for political reasons. At the 1938 World Cup in France, this combined team did not do well. They drew one game and then lost another. This early exit was Germany's worst World Cup result for a long time.

During World War II, the team played many games. But then, international matches were stopped because most players had to join the armed forces. Coach Herberger tried to keep the players safe during this time.

Germany's Teams After World War II (1945–1990)

After World War II, Germany was not allowed to play in many sports until 1950. Germany was divided into different parts: West Germany, East Germany, and Saarland. Each part had its own football team for a while.

West Germany continued the DFB and kept the records of the older German team. They played their first game in 1950 against Switzerland. West Germany then qualified for the 1954 World Cup.

The Saarland region also had its own team for a few years. They even played in the 1952 Olympics and World Cup qualifiers. In 1957, Saarland joined West Germany.

East Germany formed its own football team in 1952. This team famously beat West Germany in the 1974 World Cup. East Germany also won an Olympic gold medal in 1976. When Germany became one country again in 1990, all these football teams reunited under the DFB.

Winning the 1954 World Cup

In the 1954 FIFA World Cup, West Germany, led by captain Fritz Walter, faced strong teams. They played against the powerful Hungarian team, known as the "Mighty Magyars," twice. Hungary had not lost a game in 32 matches.

In the final, West Germany beat Hungary 3–2. Helmut Rahn scored the winning goal. This amazing victory is known as "The Miracle of Bern."

Famous Matches and Close Calls (1958–1970)

After finishing fourth in the 1958 World Cup and reaching the quarter-finals in 1962, the DFB made some changes. They started a new league called the Bundesliga. In 1964, Helmut Schön became the new coach.

In the 1966 World Cup, West Germany reached the final against host country England. In extra time, England scored a controversial goal that many still debate. England won the game 4–2.

West Germany got revenge in the 1970 World Cup by beating England 3–2 in the quarter-finals. They then had an incredible semi-final match against Italy. This game had five goals in extra time and is called the "Game of the Century" in both countries. Italy won 4–3. West Germany finished third by beating Uruguay 1–0. Gerd Müller was the top scorer with 10 goals.

Winning the World Cup at Home in 1974

In 1971, Franz Beckenbauer became the captain. He led West Germany to win the European Championship in 1972, beating the Soviet Union 3–0 in the final.

As hosts of the 1974 World Cup, they won their second World Cup title. They beat the Netherlands 2–1 in the final in Munich.

A special match in the 1974 World Cup was when West Germany played against East Germany. The East Germans won 1–0. However, West Germany still moved on to the next stage. In the final, they faced the Dutch team led by Johan Cruyff. The Netherlands scored first with a penalty. But West Germany equalized with a penalty by Paul Breitner. Then, Gerd Müller scored the winning goal.

Success in the Late 1970s and Early 1980s

West Germany did not win the next two big tournaments. They lost to Czechoslovakia in the UEFA Euro 1976 final in a penalty shootout. This was their last penalty shootout loss in a major tournament for a long time.

In the 1978 World Cup, Germany was knocked out after losing 3–2 to Austria. Coach Schön retired, and his assistant, Jupp Derwall, took over.

Under Derwall, West Germany won their second European title at Euro 1980. They beat Belgium 2–1 in the final. In the 1982 World Cup, they had a surprising 1–2 loss to Algeria in their first game. But they still made it to the next round. In the semi-final against France, they drew 3–3 and won in a penalty shootout. However, they lost the final 3–1 to Italy.

During this time, Gerd Müller scored 14 goals in two World Cups (1970 and 1974). His 10 goals in 1970 are the third-most ever in one tournament. His record of 14 World Cup goals was later broken by Ronaldo in 2006, and then by Miroslav Klose in 2014 with 16 goals.

Beckenbauer's Coaching Triumphs (1984–1990)

After West Germany was eliminated early from Euro 1984, Franz Beckenbauer became the manager. At the 1986 World Cup in Mexico, West Germany reached the final again. They beat France 2–0 in the semi-finals. But they lost 3–2 to Diego Maradona's Argentina in the final.

In Euro 1988, West Germany hoped to win on home soil. They played well in the group stage. But the Netherlands beat them 2–1 in the semi-finals.

At the 1990 World Cup in Italy, West Germany won their third World Cup title. This was their third final in a row! Led by captain Lothar Matthäus, they beat many strong teams. They won 1–0 against Argentina in the final, with a penalty goal from Andreas Brehme. Beckenbauer became the first person to win the World Cup as both a captain and a manager.

Olympic Football Achievements

Medal record
Summer Olympic Games
Gold	1976 Montreal	Team
Silver	1980 Moscow	Team
Bronze	1964 Tokyo	Team
Bronze	1972 Munich	Team
Bronze	1988 Seoul	Team

East Germany had more success in Olympic football than West Germany. This was because Olympic football used to be for amateur players. East Germany could use its best players, who were considered amateurs by the rules.

In 1964, a united German team, which included East German players, won a bronze medal. As East Germany, they won bronze in 1972, gold in 1976, and silver in 1980. West Germany won a bronze medal in 1988.

The Berti Vogts Era (1990–1998)

After the Berlin Wall fell, East Germany and West Germany were grouped together for the Euro 1992 qualifiers. In November 1990, the East German football association joined the DFB. The unified Germany national team then finished the qualifying group. The first game for the unified team was against Switzerland on December 19, 1990.

After the 1990 World Cup, assistant coach Berti Vogts took over from Beckenbauer. In Euro 1992, Germany reached the final but lost 0–2 to Denmark. In the 1994 World Cup, they were upset 1–2 by Bulgaria in the quarter-finals.

Unified Germany won its first major title at Euro 1996. They became European champions for the third time. They beat hosts England in the semi-finals. Then they defeated the Czech Republic 2–1 in the final with a "golden goal" in extra time.

However, in the 1998 World Cup, Germany was knocked out in the quarter-finals. They lost 0–3 to Croatia. Vogts then stepped down and Erich Ribbeck became the new coach.

New Coaches: Ribbeck and Völler (2000–2004)

In Euro 2000, the team did not make it past the first round. They drew one game and lost two. Ribbeck resigned, and Rudi Völler took his place.

Before the 2002 World Cup, many people did not expect Germany to do well. But the team surprised everyone. They won three games in a row by a score of 1–0 in the knockout stages. This led them to the final against Brazil. It was the first time these two teams met in a World Cup final. Germany lost 0–2. However, German captain and goalkeeper Oliver Kahn won the Golden Ball award. This meant he was named the best player of the tournament.

Germany again exited in the first round at Euro 2004. Völler resigned after this, and Jürgen Klinsmann became the head coach.

A Strong Comeback with Klinsmann (2004–2006)

Klinsmann's main goal was to lead the team to a good performance at the 2006 World Cup in Germany. He made some big changes, including choosing Jens Lehmann as the starting goalkeeper over Oliver Kahn. Many people had low expectations for the team.

As the host nation, Germany won all three of their group stage matches. They beat Sweden 2–0 in the round of 16. Then they defeated Argentina in the quarter-finals in a penalty shootout. In the semi-final, they lost to Italy after extra time. In the third-place match, Germany beat Portugal 3–1. Miroslav Klose won the Golden Boot award for scoring five goals.

The Löw Era: World Cup Glory and Challenges (2006–2021)

European and World Cup Journeys (2008–2012)

Joachim Löw became Germany's coach after Klinsmann resigned. At UEFA Euro 2008, Germany reached the final but lost 1–0 to Spain.

At the 2010 World Cup, Germany won their group. They beat England 4–1 in the round of 16. Miroslav Klose tied Gerd Müller's record of 14 World Cup goals as Germany defeated Argentina 4–0 in the quarter-finals. In the semi-finals, Germany lost 1–0 to Spain. They finished third by beating Uruguay 3–2. Thomas Müller won the Golden Boot and the Best Young Player Award.

At Euro 2012, Germany won all three of their group matches. They then beat Greece in the quarter-finals, setting a record of 15 wins in a row in competitive matches. However, they lost 2–1 to Italy in the semi-finals.

The Unforgettable 2014 World Cup Win

Germany was in Group G for the 2014 FIFA World Cup. They started by beating Portugal 4–0, with Thomas Müller scoring three goals. In their game against Ghana, Miroslav Klose scored his 15th World Cup goal. This tied him with Brazil's Ronaldo as the top World Cup scorer. Germany then beat the United States 1–0 to move to the knockout stages.

In the round of 16, Germany beat Algeria 2–1 in extra time. Mats Hummels scored the only goal in the quarter-finals against France, sending Germany to their fourth semi-final in a row.

The semi-final against Brazil was one of the most amazing games in World Cup history. Germany scored four goals in less than seven minutes! They were up 5–0 by the 30th minute. Germany won 7–1, which was Brazil's worst World Cup defeat ever. Germany also broke several World Cup records in this game.

The World Cup final was held in Rio de Janeiro on July 13. Mario Götze scored a goal in the 113th minute. This helped Germany beat Argentina 1–0. They became the first European team to win a FIFA World Cup in the Americas.

European Championship and Confederations Cup (2016–2017)

After the 2014 World Cup, some key players retired. The team had a slow start in the Euro 2016 qualifiers. They eventually won their group and qualified for the tournament.

In November 2015, Germany was in Paris for a friendly game against France. Due to safety concerns in the city, the team stayed inside the stadium overnight. A few days later, another friendly game in Hanover against the Netherlands was cancelled shortly before it began, also due to security reasons.

At UEFA Euro 2016, Germany won their group. They beat Slovakia 3–0 in the round of 16. Germany then faced their rivals Italy in the quarter-finals. The game ended 1–1 after extra time. Germany won 6–5 in a penalty shootout. This was the first time Germany had beaten Italy in a major tournament. Germany then lost 2–0 to hosts France in the semi-finals.

Germany qualified for the 2017 FIFA Confederations Cup as World Cup winners. They won the tournament by beating Chile 1–0 in the final in Russia.

Recent Challenges: World Cup and Nations League (2018–2021)

After winning all their qualifying matches and the Confederations Cup, Germany started the 2018 World Cup with a loss to Mexico. They beat Sweden 2–1 in their second game. However, they were knocked out after losing 2–0 to South Korea. This was Germany's first time exiting in the group stage since 1938.

Germany's struggles continued in the first UEFA Nations League. They drew with France and lost to the Netherlands and France again. They were almost moved to a lower league, but changes to the tournament rules saved them.

In March 2021, the DFB announced that Löw would step down as Germany's manager after UEFA Euro 2020. Later that month, Germany lost 2–1 at home to North Macedonia in the World Cup qualifiers. This was their first World Cup qualification defeat since 2001. On May 25, 2021, Hansi Flick became the new head coach.

At Euro 2020 (which was played in 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic), Germany was in a tough group. They lost to France but beat Portugal. Germany then lost 2–0 to England in the round of 16. This was their first time exiting at this stage in a major tournament since 1938.

The Team Today (2021–Present)

After Euro 2020, Hansi Flick took over as coach. On October 11, 2021, Germany beat North Macedonia 4–0. They became the first team to qualify for the 2022 World Cup in Qatar. In the 2022–23 Nations League, Germany had their first competitive win against Italy, beating them 5–2.

At the 2022 World Cup, Germany was in Group E. They started with a surprising 2–1 loss to Japan. Germany drew 1–1 with Spain. Despite a 4–2 win over Costa Rica, they were knocked out in the group stage for the second World Cup in a row. They missed the knockout stages by goal difference.

After several poor games, including a 4–1 home loss to Japan, Flick was dismissed on September 10, 2023. On September 22, 2023, Julian Nagelsmann was named the new head coach. After a difficult end to 2023, Germany found its form in 2024. They had wins against France and the Netherlands. This gave them hope for a successful UEFA Euro 2024 campaign.

As hosts of Euro 2024, Germany won the opening match against Scotland 5–1. Germany then beat Hungary 2–0 in their second match. This qualified them for the round of 16. After defeating Denmark in the round of 16, Germany went to the quarter-finals. There, they were defeated 2–1 after extra time by Spain.

What Makes the Team Special

Team Kits and Symbols

The German national team's home kit is usually a white shirt, black shorts, and white socks. These colors come from the old flag of Prussia. Since 1988, the home kit often includes designs from the modern German flag. For the 2014 World Cup, Germany wore white shorts instead of black. This was because of FIFA's rules about kit colors clashing.

The away shirt color has changed many times. Often, a green shirt with white shorts is used. This comes from the DFB's colors. Other colors like red, grey, and black have also been used.

Adidas AG has been the team's kit supplier for a long time, starting in 1954. This partnership is set to continue until at least 2026. In March 2024, Nike was announced as the new kit sponsor starting in 2027. This news caused a lot of discussion.

Three stars were added above the team's crest in 1996. These stars show Germany's World Cup wins in 1954, 1974, and 1990. In 2014, a fourth star was added after Germany won the World Cup for the fourth time.

Who Makes the Kits?

Kit supplier	Period	Notes
Leuzela	1950–1964	Germany wore Leuzela kits during the 1954 FIFA World Cup.
Umbro	1964–1971	Germany wore Umbro kits during the 1966 and 1970 FIFA World Cups.
Erima	1971–1980	Erima was a subsidiary of Adidas in the 1970s.
Adidas	1980–2026	First Adidas jersey was worn in the UEFA Euro 1980 final.
Nike	2027–2034

Kit Sponsorship Deals

Kit supplier	Period	Contract		Notes
		Announcement	Duration
Adidas	1954–2026	20 June 2016	2019–2022 (4 years)	Per year: €50 million ($56.7 million) Total: €250 million ($283.5 million)
		10 September 2018	2023–2026 (4 years)	Undisclosed
Nike	2027–2034	21 March 2024	2027–2034 (8 years)	Per year: €100 million ($108 million)

Where Germany Plays Home Games

Germany plays its home matches in different stadiums all around the country. They have played in 43 different cities so far. This includes places that were part of Germany at the time, like Vienna, Austria.

Matches are held most often in Berlin (46 matches). Berlin was also the place of Germany's first home match in 1908. Other common host cities are Hamburg (34 matches), Stuttgart (32), Hanover (28), and Dortmund. Munich has also hosted important games, including the 1974 World Cup final.

Watching the Games on TV

As of July 2025, you can watch Germany's friendly games on different TV channels like RTL, ARD, and ZDF. Games for the UEFA Euro and FIFA World Cup qualifiers, UEFA Nations League, and big tournaments are shown on ARD and ZDF.

Game Results and Upcoming Matches

Here are the results of matches from the last year, and any games scheduled for the future.

      Win       Draw       Loss       Fixture

Matches Played in 2024

Matches Played and Upcoming in 2025

The Coaching Team

As of March 2024.

Position	Name
Head coach	Julian Nagelsmann
Assistant coaches	Mads Buttgereit Benjamin Glück Sandro Wagner
Goalkeeping coaches	Michael Fuchs Andreas Kronenberg
Fitness coach	Nicklas Dietrich
Athletic coach	Krunoslav Banovcic
Doctor	Tim Meyer
Sporting director	Rudi Völler

Meet the Players

Players on the Current Team

The following players were called up for the 2025 UEFA Nations League Finals.

Information correct as of 8 June 2025.

No.	Pos.	Player	Date of birth (age)	Caps	Goals	Club
1	1GK	Marc-André ter Stegen	(1992-04-30) 30 April 1992 (age 33)	44	0	Barcelona
12	1GK	Oliver Baumann	(1990-06-02) 2 June 1990 (age 35)	4	0	TSG Hoffenheim
24	1GK	Alexander Nübel	(1996-09-30) 30 September 1996 (age 28)	2	0	VfB Stuttgart
2	2DF	Waldemar Anton	(1996-07-20) 20 July 1996 (age 29)	8	0	Borussia Dortmund
3	2DF	Robin Koch	(1996-07-17) 17 July 1996 (age 29)	14	0	Eintracht Frankfurt
4	2DF	Jonathan Tah	(1996-02-11) 11 February 1996 (age 29)	37	0	Bayern Munich
6	2DF	Joshua Kimmich (captain)	(1995-02-08) 8 February 1995 (age 30)	101	8	Bayern Munich
15	2DF	Thilo Kehrer	(1996-09-21) 21 September 1996 (age 28)	28	0	Monaco
18	2DF	Maximilian Mittelstädt	(1997-03-18) 18 March 1997 (age 28)	14	1	VfB Stuttgart
22	2DF	David Raum	(1998-04-22) 22 April 1998 (age 27)	28	0	RB Leipzig
23	2DF	Robert Andrich	(1994-09-22) 22 September 1994 (age 30)	18	0	Bayer Leverkusen
5	3MF	Pascal Groß	(1991-06-15) 15 June 1991 (age 34)	15	1	Borussia Dortmund
7	3MF	Felix Nmecha	(2000-10-10) 10 October 2000 (age 24)	4	1	Borussia Dortmund
8	3MF	Leon Goretzka	(1995-02-06) 6 February 1995 (age 30)	61	15	Bayern Munich
14	3MF	Karim Adeyemi	(2002-01-18) 18 January 2002 (age 23)	8	1	Borussia Dortmund
17	3MF	Florian Wirtz	(2003-05-03) 3 May 2003 (age 22)	31	7	Liverpool
19	3MF	Leroy Sané	(1996-01-11) 11 January 1996 (age 29)	70	14	Galatasaray
20	3MF	Serge Gnabry	(1995-07-14) 14 July 1995 (age 30)	51	22	Bayern Munich
21	3MF	Robin Gosens	(1994-07-05) 5 July 1994 (age 31)	24	2	Fiorentina
25	3MF	Aleksandar Pavlović	(2004-05-03) 3 May 2004 (age 21)	5	1	Bayern Munich
26	3MF	Tom Bischof	(2005-06-28) 28 June 2005 (age 20)	1	0	Bayern Munich
9	4FW	Niclas Füllkrug	(1993-02-09) 9 February 1993 (age 32)	24	14	West Ham United
11	4FW	Nick Woltemade	(2002-02-14) 14 February 2002 (age 23)	2	0	VfB Stuttgart
13	4FW	Deniz Undav	(1996-07-19) 19 July 1996 (age 29)	6	3	VfB Stuttgart

Other Players Who Have Played Recently

The following players have also been called up for the team within the last twelve months.

Pos.	Player	Date of birth (age)	Caps	Goals	Club	Latest call-up
GK	Stefan Ortega	(1992-11-06) 6 November 1992 (age 32)	0	0	Manchester City	v.  Italy, 23 March 2025
GK	Janis Blaswich	(1991-05-02) 2 May 1991 (age 34)	0	0	Red Bull Salzburg	v.  Netherlands, 14 October 2024
DF	Yann Aurel Bisseck	(2000-11-29) 29 November 2000 (age 24)	1	0	Inter Milan	2025 UEFA Nations League Finals INJ
DF	Antonio Rüdiger	(1993-03-03) 3 March 1993 (age 32)	79	3	Real Madrid	v.  Italy, 23 March 2025
DF	Benjamin Henrichs	(1997-02-23) 23 February 1997 (age 28)	19	0	RB Leipzig	v.  Bosnia and Herzegovina, 19 November 2024
DF	Nico Schlotterbeck	(1999-12-01) 1 December 1999 (age 25)	20	0	Borussia Dortmund	v.  Italy, 23 March 2025
MF	Nadiem Amiri	(1996-10-27) 27 October 1996 (age 28)	7	0	Mainz 05	2025 UEFA Nations League Finals INJ
MF	Angelo Stiller	(2001-04-04) 4 April 2001 (age 24)	4	0	VfB Stuttgart	2025 UEFA Nations League Finals INJ
MF	Jamal Musiala	(2003-02-26) 26 February 2003 (age 22)	40	8	Bayern Munich	v.  Italy, 23 March 2025
MF	Jamie Leweling	(2001-02-26) 26 February 2001 (age 24)	2	1	VfB Stuttgart	v.  Italy, 23 March 2025
MF	Julian Brandt	(1996-05-02) 2 May 1996 (age 29)	48	3	Borussia Dortmund	v.  Bosnia and Herzegovina, 19 November 2024
MF	Chris Führich	(1998-01-09) 9 January 1998 (age 27)	8	0	VfB Stuttgart	v.  Bosnia and Herzegovina, 19 November 2024
MF	Kevin Schade	(2001-11-27) 27 November 2001 (age 23)	4	0	Brentford	v.  Netherlands, 14 October 2024
MF	Emre Can	(1994-01-12) 12 January 1994 (age 31)	48	2	Borussia Dortmund	v.  Netherlands, 10 September 2024
FW	Jonathan Burkardt	(2000-07-11) 11 July 2000 (age 25)	3	0	Mainz 05	2025 UEFA Nations League Finals INJ
FW	Tim Kleindienst	(1995-08-31) 31 August 1995 (age 29)	6	4	Borussia Mönchengladbach	v.  Italy, 23 March 2025
FW	Kai Havertz	(1999-06-11) 11 June 1999 (age 26)	55	20	Arsenal	v.  Bosnia and Herzegovina, 19 November 2024
FW	Maximilian Beier	(2002-10-17) 17 October 2002 (age 22)	4	0	Borussia Dortmund	v.  Netherlands, 10 September 2024
INJ Withdrew due to injury

Player Achievements

Top Players and Their Records

Players in bold are still active with Germany.

This list does not include players who represented East Germany.

Players with the Most Games Played

Rank	Player	Caps	Goals	Period
1	Lothar Matthäus	150	23	1980–2000
2	Miroslav Klose	137	71	2001–2014
3	Thomas Müller	131	45	2010–2024
4	Lukas Podolski	130	49	2004–2017
5	Manuel Neuer	124	0	2009–2024
6	Bastian Schweinsteiger	121	24	2004–2016
7	Toni Kroos	114	17	2010–2024
8	Philipp Lahm	113	5	2004–2014
9	Jürgen Klinsmann	108	47	1987–1998
10	Jürgen Kohler	105	2	1986–1998

Players Who Scored the Most Goals

Rank	Player	Goals	Caps	Average	Period
1	Miroslav Klose (list)	71	137	0.52	2001–2014
2	Gerd Müller (list)	68	62	1.1	1966–1974
3	Lukas Podolski	49	130	0.38	2004–2017
4	Rudi Völler	47	90	0.52	1982–1994
	Jürgen Klinsmann		108	0.44	1987–1998
6	Karl-Heinz Rummenigge	45	95	0.47	1976–1986
	Thomas Müller		131	0.34	2010–2024
8	Uwe Seeler	43	72	0.6	1954–1970
9	Michael Ballack	42	98	0.43	1999–2010
10	Oliver Bierhoff	37	70	0.53	1996–2002

Team Captains Through the Years

Player	Period	Notes
Fritz Szepan	1934–1939
Paul Janes	1939–1942
Fritz Walter	1951–1956	First official captain of the West Germany national football team World Cup winning captain (1954)
Hans Schäfer	1952–1962	First West German player to play in three World Cup tournaments (1954, 1958, 1962)
Helmut Rahn	1958–1959
Herbert Erhardt	1959–1962
Hans Schäfer	1962
Uwe Seeler	1962–1970
Wolfgang Overath	1970–1972
Franz Beckenbauer	1972–1977	European Championship winning captain (1972) World Cup winning captain (1974)
Berti Vogts	1977–1978
Sepp Maier	1978–1979
Bernard Dietz	1979–1981	European Championship winning captain (1980)
Karl-Heinz Rummenigge	1981–1986
Harald Schumacher	1986
Klaus Allofs	1986–1987
Lothar Matthäus	1987–1995	World Cup winning captain (1990) First captain of the unified Germany national football team
Jürgen Klinsmann	1995–1998	European Championship winning captain (1996)
Oliver Bierhoff	1998–2001
Oliver Kahn	2001–2004
Michael Ballack	2004–2010
Philipp Lahm	2010–2014	World Cup winning captain (2014)
Bastian Schweinsteiger	2014–2016
Manuel Neuer	2016–2017, 2017–2023
Julian Draxler	2017	Confederations Cup winning captain (2017)
İlkay Gündoğan	2023–2024
Joshua Kimmich	2024–

Germany's Player of the Year

• 2010: Bastian Schweinsteiger
• 2011: Mesut Özil
• 2012: Mesut Özil
• 2013: Mesut Özil
• 2014: Toni Kroos
• 2015: Mesut Özil
• 2016: Mesut Özil
• 2017: Joshua Kimmich
• 2018: Marco Reus
• 2019: Matthias Ginter
• 2020: Manuel Neuer
• 2021: Joshua Kimmich
• 2022: Jamal Musiala
• 2023: Emre Can
• 2024: Jamal Musiala

Coach Records

• Joachim Löw: 198

Team Achievements

A World Record: 15 Wins in a Row!

Date	Opponent	Venue		Result	Type	Scorers
10 July 2010	Uruguay	Port Elizabeth, RSA	*	3–2	WC 2010 3rd place	Müller  19', Jansen  56', Khedira  82'
3 September 2010	Belgium	Brussels, BEL	A	1–0	EC 2012 Qualification	Klose  51'
7 September 2010	Azerbaijan	Köln	H	6–1	EC 2012 Qualification	Westermann  28', Podolski  45+1', Klose  45+2', 90+2', Sadygov  53' (o.g.), Badstuber  86'
8 October 2010	Turkey	Berlin	H	3–0	EC 2012 Qualification	Klose  42', 87', Özil  79'
12 October 2010	Kazakhstan	Astana, KAZ	A	3–0	EC 2012 Qualification	Klose  48', Gómez  76', Podolski  85'
26 March 2011	Kazakhstan	Kaiserslautern	H	4–0	EC 2012 Qualification	Klose  3', 88', Müller  25', 43'
3 June 2011	Austria	Vienna, AUT	A	2–1	EC 2012 Qualification	Gómez  44', 90'
7 June 2011	Azerbaijan	Baku, AZE	A	3–1	EC 2012 Qualification	Özil  30', Gómez  41', Schürrle  90+3'
2 September 2011	Austria	Gelsenkirchen	H	6–2	EC 2012 Qualification	Klose  8', Özil  23', 47', Podolski  28', Schürrle  83', Götze  88'
7 October 2011	Turkey	Istanbul, TUR	A	3–1	EC 2012 Qualification	Gómez  35', Müller  66', Schweinsteiger  86' (pen.)
11 October 2011	Belgium	Düsseldorf	H	3–1	EC 2012 Qualification	Özil  30', Schürrle  33', Gómez  48'
9 June 2012	Portugal	Lviv, UKR	*	1–0	EC 2012 Group	Gómez  72'
13 June 2012	Netherlands	Kharkiv, UKR	*	2–1	EC 2012 Group	Gómez  24', 38'
17 June 2012	Denmark	Lviv, UKR	*	2–1	EC 2012 Group	Podolski  19', Bender  80'
22 June 2012	Greece	Gdańsk, POL	*	4–2	EC 2012 Quarter final	Lahm  39', Khedira  61', Klose  68', Reus  74'

Germany's Tournament History

• 1930–1938 as → →  Germany
• 1950–1990 as  West Germany
• 1994–present as  Germany

     Champions       Runners-up       Third place     Tournament played fully or partially on home soil  

Germany has won the FIFA World Cup four times. Only Brazil has won more. Germany has also finished as runners-up four times. They have reached the semi-finals 13 times, which is more than any other team. From 1954 to 2014, Germany always made it to at least the last eight teams. They did not enter the first World Cup in 1930 for money reasons. They were also banned from the 1950 World Cup.

Germany has won the European Championship three times. Only Spain has won more. Germany has also finished as runners-up three times. They have qualified for every European Championship except for their first attempt in 1968. In most tournaments, Germany has reached at least the semi-finals.

See also East Germany and Saarland for the results of these separate Germany teams, and Austria for the team that was merged into the Germany national team from 1938 to 1945.

FIFA World Cup Performances

FIFA World Cup finals record											Qualification record
Year	Round	Position	Pld	W	D*	L	GF	GA	Squad		Pld	W	D	L	GF	GA	Campaign
1930	Did not enter										Did not enter						—
1934	Third place	3rd	4	3	0	1	11	8	Squad		1	1	0	0	9	1	1934
1938	First round	10th	2	0	1	1	3	5	Squad		3	3	0	0	11	1	1938
1950	Banned from entering										Banned from entering						1950
1954	Champions	1st	6	5	0	1	25	14	Squad		4	3	1	0	12	3	1954
1958	Fourth place	4th	6	2	2	2	12	14	Squad		Qualified as defending champions						1958
1962	Quarter-finals	7th	4	2	1	1	4	2	Squad		4	4	0	0	11	5	1962
1966	Runners-up	2nd	6	4	1	1	15	6	Squad		4	3	1	0	14	2	1966
1970	Third place	3rd	6	5	0	1	17	10	Squad		6	5	1	0	20	3	1970
1974	Champions	1st	7	6	0	1	13	4	Squad		Qualified as hosts						1974
1978	Second group stage	6th	6	1	4	1	10	5	Squad		Qualified as defending champions						1978
1982	Runners-up	2nd	7	3	2	2	12	10	Squad		8	8	0	0	33	3	1982
1986	Runners-up	2nd	7	3	2	2	8	7	Squad		8	5	2	1	22	9	1986
1990	Champions	1st	7	5	2	0	15	5	Squad		6	3	3	0	13	3	1990
1994	Quarter-finals	5th	5	3	1	1	9	7	Squad		Qualified as defending champions						1994
1998		7th	5	3	1	1	8	6	Squad		10	6	4	0	23	9	1998
2002	Runners-up	2nd	7	5	1	1	14	3	Squad		10	6	3	1	19	12	2002
2006	Third place	3rd	7	5	1	1	14	6	Squad		Qualified as hosts						2006
2010		3rd	7	5	0	2	16	5	Squad		10	8	2	0	26	5	2010
2014	Champions	1st	7	6	1	0	18	4	Squad		10	9	1	0	36	10	2014
2018	Group stage	22nd	3	1	0	2	2	4	Squad		10	10	0	0	43	4	2018
2022		17th	3	1	1	1	6	5	Squad		10	9	0	1	36	4	2022
Total	4 titles	20/22	112	68	21*	23	232	130			104	83	18	3	328	74	Total

*Denotes draws including knockout matches decided via penalty shoot-out.

FIFA Confederations Cup Performances

FIFA Confederations Cup record
Year	Round	Position	Pld	W	D*	L	GF	GA	Squad
1992	Did not enter
1995	Did not qualify
1997	Did not enter
1999	Group stage	5th	3	1	0	2	2	6	Squad
2001	Did not qualify
2003	Did not enter
2005	Third place	3rd	5	3	1	1	15	11	Squad
2009	Did not qualify
2013
2017	Champions	1st	5	4	1	0	12	5	Squad
Total	1 title	3/10	13	8	2	3	29	22	—

UEFA European Championship Performances

UEFA European Championship record											Qualification record
Year	Round	Position	Pld	W	D*	L	GF	GA	Squad		Pld	W	D	L	GF	GA	Campaign
1960	Did not enter										Did not enter
1964
1968	Did not qualify										4	2	1	1	9	2	1968
1972	Champions	1st	2	2	0	0	5	1	Squad		8	5	3	0	13	3	1972
1976	Runners-up	2nd	2	1	1*	0	6	4	Squad		8	4	4	0	17	5	1976
1980	Champions	1st	4	3	1	0	6	3	Squad		6	4	2	0	17	1	1980
1984	Group stage	5th	3	1	1	1	2	2	Squad		8	5	1	2	15	5	1984
1988	Semi-finals	3rd	4	2	1	1	6	3	Squad		Qualified as hosts
1992	Runners-up	2nd	5	2	1	2	7	8	Squad		6	5	0	1	13	4	1992
1996	Champions	1st	6	4	2*	0	10	3	Squad		10	8	1	1	27	10	1996
2000	Group stage	15th	3	0	1	2	1	5	Squad		8	6	1	1	20	4	2000
2004		12th	3	0	2	1	2	3	Squad		8	5	3	0	13	4	2004
2008	Runners-up	2nd	6	4	0	2	10	7	Squad		12	8	3	1	35	7	2008
2012	Semi-finals	3rd	5	4	0	1	10	6	Squad		10	10	0	0	34	7	2012
2016		3rd	6	3	2*	1	7	3	Squad		10	7	1	2	24	9	2016
2020	Round of 16	15th	4	1	1	2	6	7	Squad		8	7	0	1	30	7	2020
2024	Qualified as hosts										Qualified as hosts
Total	3 Titles	14/17	53	27	13*	13	78	55	—		106	76	20	10	267	68	Total

*Denotes draws include knockout matches decided via penalty shoot-out.

UEFA Nations League Performances

UEFA Nations League record
League phase / quarter-finals													Finals
Season	LG	Grp	Pos	Pld	W	D	L	GF	GA	P/R	RK		Year	Pld	W	D*	L	GF	GA	Squad	Pos
2018–19	A	1	3rd	4	0	2	2	3	7		11th		2019	Did not qualify
2020–21	A	4	2nd	6	2	3	1	10	13		8th		2021
2022–23	A	3	3rd	6	1	4	1	11	9		10th		2023
2024–25	A	3	1st	8	5	3	0	23	8		2nd		2025	2	0	0	2	1	4	Squad	4th
Total				24	8	12	4	47	37	Top 4			Total	2	0	0	2	1	4	—

*Denotes draws including knockout matches decided via penalty shoot-out.

Olympic Games Football History

Summer Olympic Games record											Qualification record
Year	Round	Position	Pld	W	D*	L	GF	GA	Squad		Pld	W	D	L	GF	GA	Campaign
1900	Did not enter										Did not enter						—
1904																	—
1908																	—
1912	First round	7th	3	1	0	2	18	8	Squad		Invited						—
1920	Banned										Banned						—
1924																	—
1928	Quarter-finals	5th	2	1	0	1	5	4	Squad		Invited						—
1936		6th	2	1	0	1	9	2	Squad		Qualified as hosts						—
1948	Banned										Banned						—
1952	Fourth place	4th	4	2	0	2	8	8	Squad		Invited						—
1956	First round	9th	1	0	0	1	1	2	Squad		Automatic qualification						1956
1960	Did not qualify										6	3	0	3	9	11	1960
1964											2	1	0	1	2	4	1964
1968											2	1	0	1	1	2	1968
1972	Second round	5th	6	3	1	2	17	8	Squad		Qualified as hosts						1972
1976	Did not qualify										2	0	1	1	2	3	1976
1980	Did not enter										Did not enter						1980
1984	Quarter-finals	5th	4	2	0	2	10	6	Squad		6	3	1	2	8	5	1984
1988	Bronze medal	3rd	6	4	1	1	16	4	Squad		8	5	2	1	16	4	1988
1992	Did not qualify										UEFA European Under-21 Championship						1992
1996																	1996
2000																	2000
2004																	2004
2008																	2008
2012																	2012
2016	Silver medal	2nd	6	3	3	0	22	6	Squad								2016
2020	Group stage	9th	3	1	1	1	6	7	Squad								2020
2024	Did not qualify																2024
2028	To be determined										To be determined
2032
Total	2 medals	10/28	37	18	6*	13	112	55	—		26	13	4	9	38	29	Total

*Denotes draws including knockout matches decided via penalty shoot-out.

**Red border indicates tournament was held on home soil.

Awards and Trophies

Big Tournament Wins

• FIFA World Cup
  • Champions: 1954, 1974, 1990, 2014
  • Runners-up: 1966, 1982, 1986, 2002
  • Third place: 1934, 1970, 2006, 2010
• UEFA European Championship
  • Champions: 1972, 1980, 1996
  • Runners-up: 1976, 1992, 2008
• Olympic Games
  • Bronze Medal: 1988¹
• FIFA Confederations Cup
  • Champions: 2017
  • Third place: 2005

Friendly Tournament Wins

• U.S. Cup
  • Champions: 1993
• Swiss Centenary Tournament
  • Champions: 1995
• Four Nations Tournament
  • Third place: 1988
• Azteca 2000 Tournament
  • Third place: 1985

Special Awards

• FIFA Team of the Year: 1993, 2014, 2017
• Laureus World Sports Award for Team of the Year: 2015
• World Soccer World Team of the Year: 1990, 2014
• Gazzetta Sports World Team of the Year: 1980, 1990, 2014
• FIFA World Cup Fair Play Trophy: 1974
• FIFA Confederations Cup Fair Play Award: 2017
• German Sports Team of the Year: 1966, 1970, 1974, 1980, 1990, 1996, 2002, 2006, 2010, 2014
• Silbernes Lorbeerblatt: 1954, 1972, 1974, 1980, 1990, 1996, 2014
• Bambi Award: 1986, 1996
• Deutscher Fernsehpreis: 2010
• Golden Hen: 2006, 2010, 2014

Summary of Trophies

Competition				Total
FIFA World Cup	4	4	4	12
FIFA Confederations Cup	1	0	1	2
UEFA European Championship	3	3	0	6
UEFA Nations League	0	0	0	0
Total	8	7	5	20

See also

In Spanish: Selección de fútbol de Alemania para niños