Julian Nagelsmann

Julian Nagelsmann, the German coach who previously managed RB Leipzig and Bayern Munich, took charge of the national team in 2023 and immediately stabilised a side that had crashed out of the 2022 World Cup group stage. He typically deploys a 4-2-3-1 or a flexible 4-3-3, pressing aggressively from the front and demanding quick vertical transitions. His tenure began with Germany hosting and reaching the Euro 2024 quarter-finals, where they were eliminated by Spain — a result that sharpened his squad-building priorities heading into 2026.

Nagelsmann typically lines up in a 4-2-3-1, with Joshua Kimmich and Aleksandar Pavlovic forming a disciplined double pivot that allows the team to press high and recover quickly. David Raum pushes aggressively from left-back, overloading wide channels, while Musiala drifts inside from the right to create numerical advantages. Build-up is patient through the centre before accelerating rapidly once a line is broken, with Wirtz operating as the creative link between midfield and attack.