The German national soccer team is looking forward to the upcoming 2026 World Cup in the USA, Mexico and Canada with confidence. One of the spokesmen for this spirit of optimism is Jonathan Tah from FC Bayern.
The FC Bayern central defender believes the DFB team under national coach Julian Nagelsmann can pull off a really big coup and clearly formulated his own demands.
“It makes no sense to me at all to play in a tournament and say: We want to get to the quarter-finals. And I also believe that we have the quality in the team,” said the 29-year-old to the “Abendzeitung München”.
After disappointing World Cup tournaments in Russia in 2018 and in Qatar in 2022, Tah finally wants to play a satisfactory World Cup again with the DFB team.
The sporting development under Nagelsmann makes the central defender optimistic, Tah emphasized that the team has “rediscovered faith” in its own strength.
“We’re looking forward to our group opponents and are confident enough to say: We’ll have something going for us at the World Cup.” The national coach himself also made no secret of his ambitions and openly expressed his goal of winning a World Cup title.
The 2026 World Cup, which will be held for the first time in three countries from June 11th to July 19th, brings with it a new tournament format with 48 teams. More games, more nations, more unpredictability. But also new opportunities for a German national team that wants to stabilize itself after an international year with ups and downs.
Tah believes Karl can win the 2026 World Cup
Meanwhile, Jonathan trusts his Munich teammate and whiz kid Lennart Karl to make the jump onto the World Cup train next year.
“If he continues like this, then I don’t know why he can’t help our team,” Tah said of his teammate.
“If he can do it at Bayern Munich, in the Champions League, then he has everything he needs to show it with the national team. Of course it’s a decision of the national coach. I just think he’s doing a really great job right now,” said Tah about the 17-year-old youngster.
