Germany men's national association football team

The Germany men's national football team represents the Federal Republic of Germany in international competitions. Governed by the German Football Association (DFB), founded in 1900, the team played its first match on April 5, 1908, losing 5–3 to Switzerland in Basel. From 1949 to 1990, due to post-war division, multiple German teams existed: West Germany (the DFB team), Saarland (1950–1956), and East Germany (1952–1990). After reunification, the present team absorbed the records of the others and now competes under the code GER.

Germany is among the most successful national teams globally, with four FIFA World Cup titles (1954, 1974, 1990, 2014), tied with Italy for the second-most behind Brazil's five. They have also finished as runners-up four times (1966, 1982, 1986, 2002) and secured third place four times (1934, 1958, 2006, 2010), a unique feat among all nations. In the European Championship, Germany has won three times (1972, 1980, 1996), trailing only Spain's four titles. They claimed the FIFA Confederations Cup in 2017. East Germany won Olympic gold in 1976. Germany is one of only two nations (alongside Spain) to win both the men's and women's World Cups.

The team does not have a single permanent home venue; instead, it plays home matches at various stadiums across the country, including the Olympiastadion in Berlin, Allianz Arena in Munich, and Signal Iduna Park in Dortmund, rotating based on the fixture. Germany's fiercest rivalries include the Netherlands (dating back to the 1974 World Cup final), Italy (often meeting in crucial tournament games), and England (a historic rivalry with roots in post-war tensions).[edit]

The DFB was founded in 1900, but the national team did not play its first official match until April 5, 1908, a 5–3 loss to Switzerland. Otto Nerz became the first full-time coach in 1926, leading the team to a third-place finish at the 1934 World Cup. Sepp Herberger took over in 1936 and guided West Germany to its first World Cup title in 1954, known as the 'Miracle of Bern,' a 3–2 victory over Hungary in the final. Helmut Schön succeeded Herberger in 1964 and won the 1972 European Championship and the 1974 World Cup on home soil, with Franz Beckenbauer as captain.

Beckenbauer himself became coach in 1984 and led West Germany to the 1990 World Cup title, defeating Argentina 1–0 in the final. After reunification, Berti Vogts won Euro 1996 with a golden goal from Oliver Bierhoff. The team then experienced a period of mixed results until Jürgen Klinsmann took over in 2004, overseeing a third-place finish at the 2006 World Cup. Joachim Löw, his assistant, became head coach in 2006 and led Germany to the 2014 World Cup title in Brazil, with Miroslav Klose becoming the all-time World Cup top scorer (16 goals).

After the 2014 triumph, Germany suffered group-stage exits at the 2018 World Cup and the 2022 World Cup, as well as a round-of-16 exit at Euro 2021. Hansi Flick was appointed in 2021 but was dismissed in 2023 after poor results. Julian Nagelsmann took over in September 2023 and led the team to a quarterfinal exit at Euro 2024, losing 2–1 to Spain in extra time. Nagelsmann extended his contract through 2026, focusing on rebuilding with young talents like Jamal Musiala and Florian Wirtz.[edit]