Following Portugal's loss: Achieving best World Cup showing still reminiscent of a distant goal - Following Portugal's Elimination: Outstanding World Cup Group Without a Doubt
Here's the deal: Germany's football crew was dealt a bitter blow against Portugal in the Nations League semi-final, with a 2-1 loss. This defeat has put a damper on coach Julian Nagelsmann's World Cup dreams, as securing a top spot in the group draw for the 2026 tournament in America is looking increasingly unlikely.
Why? Well, Germany's ranking in the FIFA World Rankings, essential for the seeding process, took a nose-dive after the loss. If Italy wins their World Cup qualifier match against Norway next week, the gap between Germany and the ninth-ranked team would be well over 20 points.
Tough Climbs in World Cup Qualifiers Lies Ahead
To make matters worse, Germany needs to make a significant leap in the World Cup qualifiers by November to reach the ninth spot in the FIFA Rankings – a challenge in itself. Currently, there aren't many points up for grabs in their six qualifiers against Slovakia, Northern Ireland, and Luxembourg. And Croatia and Morocco are hot on their heels in the FIFA Rankings.
The third-place match against France or Spain in the Nations League finale on Sunday in Stuttgart (15:00 CET/RTL/DAZN) is crucial. Winning this match could help Germany climb up the rankings, bringing them closer to the coveted top pot for the World Cup draw.
- Portugal
- DFB Team
- Julian Nagelsmann
- Germany
- World Cup Qualifiers
- France
- Spain
- Nations League
- FIFA
- Italy
Now, usual suspects like Spain, France, or even Argentina could be waiting in the World Cup preliminary round. If Germany can't turn things around, they might find themselves facing Cristiano Ronaldo and Portugal again or battling it out in testing conditions against co-host Mexico. Let's hope Nagelsmann and the boys can pull it together and make us proud! #nevergiveup 😎
The defeat against Portugal in the Nations League semi-final has made Germany's climb in the FIFA World Rankings challenging, as they aim to secure a top spot for the 2026 World Cup in America. The DFB Team, led by Julian Nagelsmann, faces a significant leap in the World Cup qualifiers by November, with Spain, France, or even Argentina possibly waiting in the preliminary round. A victory in the third-place match against France or Spain in the Nations League finale could help Germany climb up the rankings, potentially avoiding a rematch with Cristiano Ronaldo and Portugal or testing conditions against co-host Mexico. #NeverGiveUp 😎
