Spain, France and Brazil are World Cup favourites, not Germany: 1990 winner Karl-Heinz Riedle
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Former Germany international Karl-Heinz Riedle posing with fans during a meet-and-greet session at Our Tampines Hub on March 6.
PHOTO: TAMPINES WEST CSN/FACEBOOK
- Karl-Heinz Riedle believes Germany should survive their World Cup group, but is unsure if they can win due to form and fitness issues facing their key players.
- Riedle names Spain, France and Brazil as favourites, citing their strong players and recent successes in major tournaments.
- Nagelsmann faces challenges, including midfield instability and inexperienced goalkeepers, needing team spirit for success.
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SINGAPORE – With just one fewer World Cup triumph than record five-time winners Brazil, Germany have long been regarded as perennial favourites, especially since they have reached at least the quarter-finals from their first title in 1954 right up to their last triumph in 2014.
Following back-to-back group-stage exits in 2018 and 2022, however, expectations have dulled and even their own countrymen have lost a measure of faith.
Among those who believe Die Mannschaft will not hit the heights at the 2026 showpiece in North America is former striker Karl-Heinz Riedle, a member of their 1990 World Cup-winning team.
The 60-year-old was in town over the weekend for meet-and-greet sessions at Our Tampines Hub on March 6 and the German European School Singapore on March 7 at the invitation of his former club Borussia Dortmund’s Singapore office.
While Riedle, who also played for English sides Liverpool and Fulham, believes Germany’s grouping with Curacao, Ivory Coast and Ecuador at the quadrennial augurs well, he tipped Spain, France and Brazil as favourites, and left his home country out of the reckoning.
He told The Straits Times: “It is a group Germany definitely should survive. If we can’t survive, that would be a really big blow for Germany. We did very badly at two World Cups, so hopefully with this new team and young players, they can have quite a good World Cup for us.
“But I’m not sure that they can win it. We have a good team, but with Jamal Musiala and Kai Havertz injured for a long time, we are not sure if they can get back to their peak. It would be a good result if they can go to the quarter-finals or to the semi-finals.
“Spain, France and Brazil have the best players and the best teams – Spain are European champions, France have made it to the last two finals, and Brazil are always there.
“You also never know about England. Normally they don’t win anything, but maybe now with Thomas Tuchel in charge, it could happen with a new coach.”
As for Germany, Julian Nagelsmann inherited a side in transition in 2023 after they parted ways with Hansi Flick, and the 38-year-old has quite a few problems to solve if they are to become a force to be reckoned with in the summer.
Not only are their key attackers facing a race against time to find form, but there is also a lack of international experience in their goalkeeping department.
With Manuel Neuer ruling out a comeback for the national team and Girona’s 44-cap Marc-Andre ter Stegen plagued by injury, Hoffenheim’s 35-year-old Oliver Baumann has been occupying the No. 1 spot, having attained only his 10th cap during their last international outing in November 2025.
Nagelsmann has also highlighted his midfield conundrum in an interview with German sports magazine Kicker.
He said: “We’re really missing a truly stable, combative defensive midfielder in Germany – especially in the air. I’ve watched a lot of games from various candidates for the number six position, but we hardly have that profile – someone who can really win aerial duels and brings a certain physicality to the game.
“I actually have 11 number sixes on my list. All world-class footballers, but all with a similar basic structure.”
While Musiala and Havertz are trying to bounce back stronger from a broken leg and knee issues respectively, Riedle backed Florian Wirtz to come good with goals and assists after a slow start to his Liverpool career following a £100 million (S$173 million) move from Bayer Leverkusen.
Calling himself a big fan of the 22-year-old, who has eight goals and nine assists from 37 international appearances, Riedle said: “He was criticised a lot in England for Liverpool and my friends are all calling me and asking how is he good?
“But he is the best talent we have ever had from Germany, so he will make it. He has had to adapt and now you will see his best.”
But regardless of who Nagelsmann picks, a non-negotiable winning ingredient is a strong team spirit.
Speaking from experience, Riedle said: “Our biggest strength in 1990 when we won the World Cup was the team came first. We had individual top players, but a good coach (Franz Beckenbauer) could bring these talents all together to build up a big, strong group.
“This was our biggest achievement then and what we should look for now.”
