Slovakia Upsets Germany: WCQ Shock

Historically unique defeat
Slovakia performs disastrous DFB-Elf in World Cup qualification

04.09.2025, 10:39 p.m.

Slovakia is a historical victory against the German footballers: In the 53rd away game in World Cup qualifications, the DFB team collected a defeat for the first time. In Bratislava, the selection of national coach Julian Nagelsmann shows a worrying performance.

With the 0: 2 (0: 1) in Slovakia, the totally unsettled national football team on the way to the 2026 World Cup slipped very badly at the first step. The grip for the golden World Cup cup is only bold wishful thinking. There was nothing to be seen from Julian Nagelsmann’s great dominance promise in the Bratislava nation stadium. Instead, it set the first away defeat in a World Cup qualification game for a DFB team through the goals of David Hancko (42nd minute) and David Strelec (55.).

“We all have to put ourselves on our own nose. It was surprising for all of us that the game ran like that,” said Jonathan Tah disappointed at the ARD microphone. He spoke of a “deserved” defeat. “We can’t deny that. It was a weak game from us. We have to work up and be honest with us.” ARD expert Bastian Schweinsteiger even expressed concern that the DFB team could miss the World Cup. “If you play like today, of course,” he criticized: “So you have to be happy if you qualify for the World Cup.”

In group A, captain Joshua Kimmich and his colleagues are now running after the Slovak. Already on Sunday (8:45 p.m./RTL and in the live ticker at ntv.de) A convincing victory in Cologne has to win against Northern Ireland, otherwise even the permanently planned direct ticket for the Mammut tournament in America can be in danger in the coming summer.

The list of defects that the national coach brings from Slovakia is long. To play out easily on the defensive and at speed, offensive without ideas and punch. For the first time, the national team under Nagelsmann lost three games in a row. The many failures from Jamal Musiala to Kai Havertz cannot be an excuse.

Debütant Collins duped, Wirtz with a serious wrong pass

“We have to call up our level. The opponent is not as bad as many see him,” said Nagelsmann in the ARD. And his warning should come true in a terrifying manner. The German team presented itself completely from the role in front of 20,013 spectators, especially the defensive wobbled. The Frankfurt debutant Namdi Collins on the right in the chain of four caught a very weak day and was duped by his opponent again and again.

But also the offensive game paralyzed. The special moments of young star Florian Wirtz remained manageable. As in Liverpool, the ex-Leverkusener also seemed inhibited in the DFB jersey. In addition, it was his loss of ball that initiated the well -deserved first goal. Even the return of Joshua Kimmich into midfield did not bring the hoped -for stability.

After 75 seconds, the Slovaks had the great chance to take the lead when after a cross from ex-Bundesliga professional Ondrej Duda the two central defenders Lubomir Satka and Milan Skriniar in the five-meter space only missed the ball by centimeters.

DFB-Elf with just one chance of scoring in the first half

And the next top chances also belonged to the hosts. Oliver Baumann, who is the German number one until the return of Marc-André Ter, parried against Leo Sauer (21st). The subsequent corner put Duda on the outer post (22nd) before Sauer escaped Collins again and came to a conclusion from an acute angle (23rd).

The dominance demanded by Nagelsmann could not be recognized against the handy Slovaks, accordingly the national coach in the white polo shirt on the bench was completely served. The 38-year-old imagined it very differently. Maximilian Mittelstädt ensured the first goal (24th), but in return there was an alarm again in the defense. This time Antonio Rüdiger was duked up by Sauer, but his shot was blocked by defender colleague Jonathan Tah (27th).

The only real chance of scoring in the first 45 minutes was after a strong ball win of the Stuttgart Angelo Stiller, but Martin Dubravka was on hand (32nd). It would have the course of the game against the world ranking 52. also turned upside down. So the lead goal for the Slovaks was overdue. The error chain began at Wirtz and ended with the indisposed Rüdiger when David Strelec and Hancko put the German defensive with simple means.

Rüdiger overwhelmed, Woltemade and change harmless

It was the lowest half in the Nagelsmann era. It couldn’t go on like this. The overwhelmed Collins stayed in the cabin, but the Leipzig David Room came into play, but with Mittelstädt the side. However, the German game wasn’t really better, apart from the goal chance of Leon Goretzka (47th).

Because the defense torso around the overwhelmed Rüdiger was questionable. If Strelec left the second goal with an unplaced shot (54th), the man from FC Middlesbrough did it better a minute later when he danced Rüdiger and put the ball into the corner.

Nagelsmann brought other offensive forces in Nadiem Amiri and Karim Adeyemi, but also the fizzling out. In the storm center, 85 million man Nick Woltemade remained without a punch. Niclas Füllkrug could have helped, but the European Championship striker had to fit at short notice due to a calf injury. There was also a real urge phase. The consternated national coach followed the last minutes with entangled arms.