BERLIN: Germany coach Julian Nagelsmann on Thursday backed Newcastle striker Nick Woltemade to lead the line for his injury-hit side in their 2026 World Cup qualification bid.
The Germans face Luxembourg away on Friday before returning home to take on Slovakia on Monday, with the latter match likely to determine who qualifies for the tournament directly.
Woltemade, 23, has only played six games for Germany since making his debut in June. He scored the winner in October’s 1-0 victory over Northern Ireland, his first Germany goal.
“Right now he’s super important because we’ve got a few players out injured in that position and because he’s a very good player,” Nagelsmann said.
“He’s in high demand for us right now because he’s doing well, he’s important in pressing, in holding onto the ball and in scoring goals.”
The 1.98-meter tall Woltemade hit the ground running in England after moving to Newcastle in the summer, scoring in four of his first five Premier League games.
“He’s scored several times already. He’s popular with the fans. He feels comfortable in the city,” Nagelsmann said.
“Right now the situation is good for Nick and good for us too.”
Captain Joshua Kimmich was on Thursday ruled out of the Luxembourg match with an ankle injury, becoming the latest to join Nagelsmann’s overcrowded casualty ward.
Bayern Munich center-back Jonathan Tah will captain Germany in Kimmich’s absence.
Kai Havertz, Jamal Musiala, Marc-Andre ter Stegen, Nico Schlotterbeck, Antonio Rudiger, Niclas Fuellkrug and Tim Kleindienst are all on the injury list, while Karim Adeyemi will miss Friday’s match with a yellow card suspension.
After a surprise 2-0 loss to Slovakia in Bratislava in their opening fixture in September, Germany have steadied the ship, winning three from three.
Germany are level on points in their World Cup qualifying group with second-placed Slovakia but ahead on goal difference.
Slovakia, who host Northern Ireland on Friday, travel to Leipzig to face Germany on Monday in a match which will decide who finishes atop the Group A standings.
Regardless of Friday’s results, both Germany and Slovakia cannot qualify until Monday’s match.
Only the first-placed team is guaranteed to qualify for next year’s finals in the United States, Canada and Mexico.
Luxembourg have lost four from four in World Cup qualifying, including a 4-0 loss to Germany in October.
Four-time winners Germany have never failed to qualify for a World Cup in the tournament’s history.
Nagelsmann backs Woltemade to shine for injury-hit Germany
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Nagelsmann backs Woltemade to shine for injury-hit Germany
- The Germans face Luxembourg away on Friday before returning home to take on Slovakia on Monday
- Woltemade, 23, has only played six games for Germany since making his debut in June
Carlos Alcaraz joins other tennis stars in first-ever tennis event at Marlins’ loanDepot Park
- It was a one-time event — the first time tennis has ever been played at loanDepot Park — and also featured rising Brazilian standout Joao Fonseca and women’s stars Amanda Anisimova and Jessica Pegula
- Alcaraz: I’m having a lot of fun. Getting the energy from the people, playing in some places that we are not used to. It’s exciting
MIAMI: Carlos Alcaraz wanted to play in front of an energetic crowd at the inaugural Miami Invitational.
The No. 1 men’s tennis player got his wish, drawing a roar of applause when he stepped onto the court and electric cheers throughout an exhibition event Monday night at loanDepot Park, the home of Major League Baseball’s Miami Marlins.
It was a one-time event — the first time tennis has ever been played at loanDepot Park — and also featured rising Brazilian standout Joao Fonseca and women’s stars Amanda Anisimova and Jessica Pegula.
Alcaraz defeated the 24th-ranked Fonseca 7-5, 2-6, 10-8 in a thrilling singles match, their first time facing each other. Anisimova topped Pegula 6-2, 7-5 earlier in the night. Alcaraz and Pegula also beat Anisimova and Fonseca in a mixed doubles 10-point tie breaker.
“I just expect that the people are going to get entertained by watching us play,” Alcaraz said before the match. “I think it’s unusual watching us play in these kinds of stadiums and court. I’m really excited about playing here with Joao. I’m just excited to see how people are going to respond.”
The 22-year-old Alcaraz recently wrapped up the 2025 season, ending the campaign with the ATP’s year-end No. 1 ranking, tour-highs of 71 match wins and eight trophies and a pair of Grand Slam titles that lifted his career total to six.
He’s still been busy during the exhibition season, which also included an exhibition event in Newark, New Jersey, on Sunday in which Alcaraz played a singles match against two-time US Open semifinalist Frances Tiafoe.
“I’m having a lot of fun,” Alcaraz said. “Getting the energy from the people, playing in some places that we are not used to. It’s exciting. It’s been great so far, and I’m enjoying it a lot.”
The crowd Monday included Inter Miami stars Sergio Busquets and Jordi Alba, who became MLS champions just a couple days ago in the final match of their decorated careers.
Anisimova, a US Open and Wimbledon finalist this year, and Pegula, who reached the US Open semis, both noted that Monday’s exhibition was a great way to prepare for the upcoming season in a new environment.
“I think we love playing tennis and we love competing,” Pegula said. “Being able to change what that looks like a little bit where it’s not something we do 95 percent of the year is always really nice and refreshing for us. I think it’s great for the sport. It gives it a diff look for the fans, for everyone that’s involved. For players, it kind of keeps us refreshed and kind of brings you back to why you’re playing.”
