Nagelsmann will not significantly rotate his squad against…

Nagelsmann will not significantly rotate his squad against Ecuador

25.06.2026 12:02 HotInfo

Germany's national football team will take the field for their final group match against Ecuador already assured of top spot in the group, but coach Julian Nagelsmann is not planning extensive rotation. He announced only the necessary changes to the starting lineup, and Deniz Undav — despite his two decisive goals against Ivory Coast — is set to remain a substitute option from the bench. Spiegel.de ↗

The Germans secured qualification and first place after a 2:1 win over Ivory Coast, which Undav decided with two late strikes. The debate over including him in the starting lineup has intensified as a result, but Nagelsmann favors continuity and team cohesion over resting key players. Mario Götze, by contrast, would shuffle the lineup more significantly given the already-secured first place in the group, while Jürgen Klopp still sees room for greater control of the game based on the team's performances so far. Tagesspiegel ↗

The biggest problem remains the defense. Nico Schlotterbeck is done for the tournament after his injury against Ivory Coast, and under FIFA rules Nagelsmann cannot add another outfield player to replace him. Nathaniel Brown was also absent from the final training session before the Ecuador match due to minor adductor problems, which increases the importance of Antonio Rüdiger. The question of Leroy Sané also remains in the background — the coach had previously defended him — while after Lennart Karl's injury, there are fewer originally planned options on the right wing. n-tv ↗

Ecuador goes into the match under pressure, and their coach Sebastián Beccacece faces a duel that could also decide his position. Germany, meanwhile, is already tracking possible scenarios for the round of sixteen, with the number of potential opponents having narrowed from fifteen to twelve. Tagesspiegel ↗

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