Germany national football team facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Germany

Nicknames	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
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)
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	21 (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)
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 Korea and Japan Team Bronze 1934 Italy Team Bronze 1970 Mexico Team Bronze 2006 Germany Team Bronze 2010 South Africa Team FIFA Confederations Cup Gold 2017 Russia Team Bronze 2005 Germany 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 and Switzerland Team Bronze 2012 Poland and Ukraine Team Olympics Games Bronze 1988 Seoul Team

The Germany national football team (called Deutsche Fußballnationalmannschaft in German) represents Germany in men's international football matches. The team played its first game in 1908. The German Football Association (DFB) manages the team. This association was founded in 1900. It is one of the largest national sports groups in the world.

Between 1949 and 1990, Germany was divided. Because of this, there were separate German national teams. These included the team for West Germany, the Saarland team, and the East Germany team. After Germany reunited in 1990, the current team represents the whole country. Its official name changed from "Germany FR" to "Germany".

Germany is one of the most successful national teams in the world. The team has won the FIFA World Cup four times: in 1954, 1974, 1990, and 2014. This is tied with Italy and just one less than Brazil. They have also finished second four times and third four times. Germany is the only team to achieve this.

The team has also won the European Championship three times: in 1972, 1980, and 1996. Only Spain has won more, with four titles. Germany also won the FIFA Confederations Cup in 2017. They finished second in the European Championship three times. East Germany won an Olympic Gold medal in 1976. Germany is one of only two nations to win both the men's and women's FIFA World Cups. With a total of six World Cup titles (four for men, two for women), Germany is a top football nation.

History of German Football

Early Football Years (1899–1942)

Before Germany had a national team, some international matches were played. In 1901, a German team lost 12–0 to an English team. This showed how much German football needed to grow.

The first official match for the Germany national team was on April 5, 1908. They played against Switzerland in Basel and lost 5–3. A year later, Germany had its biggest official defeat, losing 9–0 to England. These early games started a long and exciting rivalry.

Julius Hirsch was the first Jewish player for Germany, joining in 1911. He scored four goals in a single match in 1912. Gottfried Fuchs set a world record by scoring 10 goals in a 16–0 win against Russia at the 1912 Olympics. This record stood for many years. Sadly, references to Fuchs were removed from German football records for a period due to historical events.

In 1926, Otto Nerz became Germany's first coach. Germany played in its first World Cup in 1934, finishing third. After a disappointing 1936 Olympics, Sepp Herberger took over as coach. In 1937, his team, known as the Breslau Elf, famously won 8–0 against Denmark.

In 1938, Austria became part of Germany. Austrian players joined the German team for the 1938 World Cup. However, this "united" team did not do well, exiting early. During World War II, the team played some international games. But most players had to join the armed forces, and games were stopped in 1942.

Three German Teams (1945–1990)

After World War II, Germany was not allowed to compete in many sports until 1950. The country was divided into West Germany, East Germany, and Saarland. Each had its own football team for a while.

West Germany continued the DFB's history. They played their first post-war match in 1950. The Saarland team played from 1950 to 1956 before joining West Germany. East Germany formed its own team in 1952. They famously beat West Germany 1–0 in the 1974 World Cup. East Germany also won an Olympic gold medal in 1976. After Germany reunited in 1990, the East German football system joined the DFB.

1954 World Cup Victory

West Germany, led by captain Fritz Walter, played in the 1954 World Cup. They faced the strong Hungarian team, known as the "Mighty Magyars," in the final. Hungary had not lost a match in 32 games. But West Germany won 3–2, with Helmut Rahn scoring the winning goal. This unexpected victory is still called "The Miracle of Bern."

Famous Matches (1958–1970)

After finishing fourth in 1958 and reaching the quarter-finals in 1962, German football changed. The top clubs formed 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 nation England. England won 4–2 in extra time. One of England's goals, by Geoff Hurst, was very controversial. Many still debate if the ball fully crossed the line.

West Germany got revenge in the 1970 World Cup, beating England 3–2 in the quarter-finals. They then lost a thrilling semi-final 4–3 to Italy in extra time. This match is known as the "Game of the Century." West Germany finished third, and Gerd Müller was the top scorer with 10 goals.

1974 World Cup Title at Home

In 1971, Franz Beckenbauer became captain. He led West Germany to win the European Championship in 1972. 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 unique match in 1974 was when West Germany played against East Germany. East Germany won 1–0. However, West Germany still advanced to the knockout stage. In the final, after the Netherlands scored an early penalty, West Germany came back. Paul Breitner scored a penalty, and Gerd Müller scored the winning goal.

Late 1970s and Early 1980s

West Germany lost the UEFA Euro 1976 final to Czechoslovakia 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 eliminated in the second group stage.

Under new coach Jupp Derwall, West Germany won their second European title at Euro 1980. They beat Belgium 2–1 in the final. In the 1982 World Cup, Germany had a surprising 1–2 loss to Algeria. But they reached the semi-finals, winning a penalty shootout against France. They lost the final 3–1 to Italy.

During this time, Gerd Müller scored 14 goals in two World Cups (1970 and 1974). His record of 14 World Cup goals was later broken by Ronaldo in 2006 and then by Miroslav Klose in 2014.

1990 World Cup and Beckenbauer's Era

After a first-round exit at Euro 1984, Franz Beckenbauer became manager. West Germany reached the final of the 1986 World Cup, but lost 3–2 to Diego Maradona's Argentina. In Euro 1988, they lost to the Netherlands in the semi-finals.

At the 1990 World Cup in Italy, West Germany won their third World Cup title. Captained by Lothar Matthäus, they beat England in a penalty shootout in the semi-finals. In the final, they faced Argentina again and won 1–0 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

Olympic football used to be for amateur players only. This meant West Germany's top professional players could not always participate. East Germany, however, had more success. They won a bronze medal for a united German team in 1964. As East Germany, they won bronze in 1972, gold in 1976, and silver in 1980. West Germany won a bronze medal in 1988. In 2016, a unified Germany team won a silver medal.

Berti Vogts Years (1990–1998)

After the fall of the Berlin Wall, East and West Germany's football associations merged. The unified Germany national team played its first match in December 1990.

Berti Vogts became the national team coach after the 1990 World Cup. In Euro 1992, Germany reached the final but lost 2–0 to Denmark. In the 1994 World Cup, they were upset 2–1 by Bulgaria in the quarter-finals. Only one former East German player, Matthias Sammer, was on the team.

Unified Germany won its first major title at Euro 1996. They became European champions for the third time, beating England in the semi-finals and the Czech Republic 2–1 in the final with a "golden goal." However, in the 1998 World Cup, Germany lost 3–0 to Croatia in the quarter-finals. Vogts then stepped down.

Ribbeck and Völler Eras (2000–2004)

In Euro 2000, Germany exited in the first round. Erich Ribbeck resigned and Rudi Völler took over.

Expectations were low for Germany in the 2002 World Cup. Despite this, the team reached the final, winning three knockout games 1–0. They faced Brazil in the final, losing 2–0 to two goals from Ronaldo. German captain and goalkeeper Oliver Kahn won the Golden Ball award as the tournament's best player.

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

Klinsmann's Revival (2004–2006)

Klinsmann's main goal was for Germany to perform well at the 2006 World Cup, which they hosted. The team's ranking was low, and many people had low expectations.

As hosts, Germany won all three group stage matches. They beat Sweden 2–0 in the round of 16 and Argentina in a penalty shootout in the quarter-finals. In the semi-final, Germany lost to Italy in extra time. They then defeated Portugal 3–1 to finish third. Miroslav Klose won the Golden Boot for scoring five goals.

Löw's Long Tenure (2006–2021)

Euro 2008, 2010 World Cup, and Euro 2012

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

In the 2010 World Cup, Germany finished third. They famously beat England 4–1 and Argentina 4–0. They lost to Spain in the semi-finals. Thomas Müller won the Golden Boot and the Best Young Player Award.

At UEFA Euro 2012, Germany won all their group matches and set a record of 15 consecutive competitive wins. They beat Greece in the quarter-finals but lost 2–1 to Italy in the semi-finals.

2014 World Cup Victory

Germany was in Group G for the 2014 World Cup. They started by routing Portugal 4–0. In their match against Ghana, Klose scored his 15th World Cup goal, tying the record. Germany then beat the United States 1–0 to advance.

In the round of 16, Germany beat Algeria 2–1 in extra time. In the quarter-finals, they beat France 1–0. This sent them to a record fourth consecutive semi-final.

The 7–1 semi-final win against host Brazil was one of the most memorable games ever. Germany scored four goals in less than seven minutes and led 5–0 by the 30th minute. This was Brazil's worst World Cup defeat. Germany broke several World Cup records with this win.

In the World Cup final on July 13, Germany beat Argentina 1–0 with a goal from Mario Götze in extra time. Germany became the first European team to win a World Cup in the Americas.

Euro 2016 and 2017 Confederations Cup

After the 2014 World Cup, several key players retired. Germany had a mixed start in the Euro 2016 qualifiers. They eventually won their group and qualified.

At UEFA Euro 2016, Germany won their group. They beat Slovakia 3–0 in the round of 16. In the quarter-finals, they faced rivals Italy. The game ended 1–1 after extra time, and Germany won 6–5 in a penalty shootout. This was Germany's first competitive win against Italy. They lost 2–0 to host France in the semi-finals.

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

2018 World Cup and Later Challenges

Germany started the 2018 World Cup with a loss to Mexico. They beat Sweden 2–1 but were eliminated after a 2–0 loss to South Korea. This was Germany's first group stage exit since 1950.

Germany's struggles continued in the UEFA Nations League. They finished third in their group. In March 2021, the DFB announced that Löw would step down after UEFA Euro 2020. Germany then lost a World Cup qualifier to North Macedonia, their first such defeat since 2001.

At Euro 2020 (played in 2021 due to the pandemic), Germany lost to France, beat Portugal, and drew with Hungary. They then lost 2–0 to England in the round of 16, marking another early exit.

Recent Years (2021–Present)

Hansi Flick took over as coach after Euro 2020. On October 11, 2021, Germany beat North Macedonia 4–0, becoming the first team to qualify for the 2022 World Cup in Qatar. In the 2022–23 Nations League, Germany recorded a 5–2 win against Italy.

At the 2022 World Cup, Germany was in Group E. They had a shock 2–1 defeat to Japan and drew 1–1 with Spain. Despite a 4–2 win over Costa Rica, Germany was knocked out in the group stage for the second World Cup in a row.

After more poor performances, including a 4–1 home loss to Japan, Flick was dismissed on September 10, 2023. Julian Nagelsmann was named the new head coach on September 22, 2023. Germany ended 2023 with mixed results but found better form in 2024, winning against France and the Netherlands.

As hosts of UEFA Euro 2024, Germany won their opening match against Scotland 5–1. They then defeated Hungary 2–0 to qualify for the knockout stage. After beating Denmark in the round of 16, Germany lost 2–1 to Spain in extra time in the quarter-finals.

Germany finished the group stage of the 2024–25 UEFA Nations League undefeated. They qualified for the 2025 UEFA Nations League Finals, where they finished fourth after losing to Portugal and France.

In the 2026 FIFA World Cup qualification, Germany lost their first game 0–2 against Slovakia. However, they then started a winning streak, including a 6–0 win against Slovakia, to secure qualification.

At the 2026 FIFA World Cup, Germany was in Group E. They beat Curaçao 7–1 and Ivory Coast 2–1 in the group stage. This qualified them for the knockout stage for the first time since 2014. Germany is scheduled to play Ecuador on June 25, 2026, and then a Round of 32 match on June 29, 2026.

Team Look and Feel

Kits and Crest

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 inspired by the modern German flag. For the 2014 World Cup, Germany wore white shorts instead of black due to FIFA's rules about clashing kits.

The away kit color has changed over time. A green shirt with white shorts is a common alternative. This comes from the DFB's own colors. Other colors like red, grey, and black have also been used.

Adidas has been the team's kit supplier since 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.

Four stars are above the team crest. Each star represents a FIFA World Cup title won by Germany: 1954, 1974, 1990, and 2014.

Kit Suppliers

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	Nike will become the first non-German kit supplier for Germany since 1971.

Kit 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)

Home Stadiums

Germany does not have one single home stadium. Instead, the team plays its home matches in different stadiums across the country. They have played in 43 different cities so far.

Matches are often held in Berlin (46 matches), where Germany played its first home game in 1908. Other popular host cities include Hamburg (34 matches), Stuttgart (32), Hanover (28), and Dortmund. Munich also hosted important games, like the 1974 World Cup final.

Media Coverage

As of January 2025, friendly matches are shown on different German TV channels like RTL, ARD, and ZDF. Major tournaments and qualifying matches are shown on ARD and ZDF.

Match Results and Schedule

Here are the match results from the last year and upcoming scheduled matches.

      Win       Draw       Loss       Fixture

2025 Matches

2026 Matches

Coaching Staff

As of August 2025.

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

Team Players

Current Squad

These players were chosen for the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

Information correct as of 20 June 2026, after the match against Ivory Coast.

No.	Pos.	Player	Date of birth (age)	Caps	Goals	Club
1	1GK	Manuel Neuer	(1986-03-27) 27 March 1986 (age 40)	126	0	Bayern Munich
12	1GK	Oliver Baumann	(1990-06-02) 2 June 1990 (age 36)	13	0	TSG Hoffenheim
21	1GK	Alexander Nübel	(1996-09-30) 30 September 1996 (age 29)	3	0	VfB Stuttgart
2	2DF	Antonio Rüdiger	(1993-03-03) 3 March 1993 (age 33)	84	3	Real Madrid
3	2DF	Waldemar Anton	(1996-07-20) 20 July 1996 (age 29)	14	0	Borussia Dortmund
4	2DF	Jonathan Tah	(1996-02-11) 11 February 1996 (age 30)	49	1	Bayern Munich
13	2DF	Pascal Groß	(1991-06-15) 15 June 1991 (age 35)	18	1	Brighton & Hove Albion
15	2DF	Nico Schlotterbeck INJ	(1999-12-01) 1 December 1999 (age 26)	29	1	Borussia Dortmund
18	2DF	Nathaniel Brown	(2003-06-16) 16 June 2003 (age 23)	7	1	Eintracht Frankfurt
22	2DF	David Raum	(1998-04-22) 22 April 1998 (age 28)	38	1	RB Leipzig
24	2DF	Malick Thiaw	(2001-08-08) 8 August 2001 (age 24)	5	0	Newcastle United
5	3MF	Aleksandar Pavlović	(2004-05-03) 3 May 2004 (age 22)	13	1	Bayern Munich
6	3MF	Joshua Kimmich (captain)	(1995-02-08) 8 February 1995 (age 31)	112	10	Bayern Munich
8	3MF	Leon Goretzka	(1995-02-06) 6 February 1995 (age 31)	72	15	Bayern Munich
9	3MF	Jamie Leweling	(2001-02-26) 26 February 2001 (age 25)	6	1	VfB Stuttgart
10	3MF	Jamal Musiala	(2003-02-26) 26 February 2003 (age 23)	44	10	Bayern Munich
16	3MF	Angelo Stiller	(2001-04-04) 4 April 2001 (age 25)	8	0	VfB Stuttgart
17	3MF	Florian Wirtz	(2003-05-03) 3 May 2003 (age 23)	43	11	Liverpool
19	3MF	Leroy Sané	(1996-01-11) 11 January 1996 (age 30)	78	17	Galatasaray
20	3MF	Nadiem Amiri	(1996-10-27) 27 October 1996 (age 29)	12	1	Mainz 05
23	3MF	Felix Nmecha	(2000-10-10) 10 October 2000 (age 25)	10	2	Borussia Dortmund
25	3MF	Assan Ouédraogo	(2006-05-09) 9 May 2006 (age 20)	1	1	RB Leipzig
7	4FW	Kai Havertz	(1999-06-11) 11 June 1999 (age 27)	60	24	Arsenal
11	4FW	Nick Woltemade	(2002-02-14) 14 February 2002 (age 24)	11	4	Newcastle United
14	4FW	Maximilian Beier	(2002-10-17) 17 October 2002 (age 23)	9	0	Borussia Dortmund
26	4FW	Deniz Undav	(1996-07-19) 19 July 1996 (age 29)	11	9	VfB Stuttgart
INJ Withdrew due to injury

Recent Call-ups

These players were also called up for the team in the last twelve months.

Pos.	Player	Date of birth (age)	Caps	Goals	Club	Latest call-up
GK	Jonas Urbig	(2003-08-08) 8 August 2003 (age 22)	0	0	Bayern Munich	v.  United States, 6 June 2026
GK	Finn Dahmen	(1998-03-27) 27 March 1998 (age 28)	0	0	FC Augsburg	v.  Ghana, 30 March 2026
GK	Noah Atubolu	(2002-05-25) 25 May 2002 (age 24)	0	0	SC Freiburg	v.  Slovakia, 17 November 2025
DF	Josha Vagnoman	(2000-12-11) 11 December 2000 (age 25)	2	0	VfB Stuttgart	v.  Ghana, 30 March 2026
DF	Ridle Baku	(1998-04-08) 8 April 1998 (age 28)	8	2	RB Leipzig	v.  Slovakia, 17 November 2025
DF	Robert Andrich	(1994-09-22) 22 September 1994 (age 31)	19	0	Bayer Leverkusen	v.  Northern Ireland, 13 October 2025
DF	Robin Koch	(1996-07-17) 17 July 1996 (age 29)	15	0	Eintracht Frankfurt	v.  Northern Ireland, 13 October 2025
DF	Maximilian Mittelstädt	(1997-03-18) 18 March 1997 (age 29)	15	1	VfB Stuttgart	v.  Northern Ireland, 7 September 2025
DF	Nnamdi Collins	(2004-01-10) 10 January 2004 (age 22)	1	0	Eintracht Frankfurt	v.  Northern Ireland, 7 September 2025
MF	Lennart Karl	(2008-02-22) 22 February 2008 (age 18)	3	0	Bayern Munich	2026 FIFA World Cup INJ
MF	Serge Gnabry	(1995-07-14) 14 July 1995 (age 30)	59	26	Bayern Munich	v.  Ghana, 30 March 2026
MF	Chris Führich	(1998-01-09) 9 January 1998 (age 28)	9	0	VfB Stuttgart	v.  Ghana, 30 March 2026
MF	Kevin Schade	(2001-11-27) 27 November 2001 (age 24)	5	0	Brentford	v.  Ghana, 30 March 2026
MF	Anton Stach	(1998-11-15) 15 November 1998 (age 27)	3	0	Leeds United	v.  Ghana, 30 March 2026
MF	Karim Adeyemi	(2002-01-18) 18 January 2002 (age 24)	11	1	Borussia Dortmund	v.  Slovakia, 17 November 2025
MF	Paul Nebel	(2002-10-10) 10 October 2002 (age 23)	0	0	Mainz 05	v.  Northern Ireland, 7 September 2025
FW	Jonathan Burkardt	(2000-07-11) 11 July 2000 (age 25)	5	0	Eintracht Frankfurt	v.  Slovakia, 17 November 2025
FW	Said El Mala	(2006-08-26) 26 August 2006 (age 19)	0	0	1. FC Köln	v.  Luxembourg, 14 November 2025
FW	Niclas Füllkrug	(1993-02-09) 9 February 1993 (age 33)	24	14	AC Milan	v.  Slovakia, 4 September 2025 INJ
INJ Withdrew due to injury

Player Records

These lists show players who have played the most games or scored the most goals for Germany. Players in bold are still active with the team. This list does not include players who played for East Germany.

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	126	0	2009–present
6	Bastian Schweinsteiger	121	24	2004–2016
7	Toni Kroos	114	17	2010–2024
8	Philipp Lahm	113	5	2004–2014
9	Joshua Kimmich	112	10	2016–present
10	Jürgen Klinsmann	108	47	1987–1998

Top Goalscorers

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

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–

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

Manager Records

Joachim Löw managed the team for 198 matches, more than any other coach.

Team Records

15 Consecutive Wins (World Record)

Germany holds a world record for winning 15 competitive matches in a row. This amazing streak happened between 2010 and 2012.

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'

Tournament Records

Germany has a fantastic record in major tournaments. They have won the FIFA World Cup four times, which is second only to Brazil. They have also been runners-up four times. Germany has reached the semi-finals 13 times, more than any other nation! From 1954 to 2014, Germany always made it to at least the quarter-finals.

Germany has also won the European Championship three times. Only Spain has won more. Germany has qualified for every European Championship except for one in 1968. They have reached the semi-finals nine times, which is a record in Europe.

• 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  

FIFA World Cup

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

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

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

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

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.

Team Honours

Global Titles

• FIFA World Cup
  • Champions: 1954, 1974, 1990, 2014
  • Runners-up: 1966, 1982, 1986, 2002
  • Third place: 1934, 1970, 2006, 2010
• Olympic Games
  • Bronze Medal: 1988
• FIFA Confederations Cup
  • Champions: 2017
  • Third place: 2005

Continental Titles

• UEFA European Championship
  • Champions: 1972, 1980, 1996
  • Runners-up: 1976, 1992, 2008

Friendly Tournament Wins

• U.S. Cup
  • Champions: 1993
• Swiss Centenary Tournament
  • Champions: 1995

Awards and Recognitions

• 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 Major Titles

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

See also

In Spanish: Selección de fútbol de Alemania para niños