Germany World Cup lineup, starting 11 in Qatar 2022: Sane starts in place of Kehrer

01-12-2022
4 min read
(Getty Images)

Germany are staring down the barrel of back-to-back group stage exits at the World Cup, and must get a result against Costa Rica to survive.

With the disappointment of failing to make the Round of 16 as defending champions in 2018 still fresh, Germany began the 2022 tournament in equally awful fashion. 

Japan came from behind to sink Hansi Flick's mean 2-1, before Spain routed Costa Rica 7-0 in the other Group E fixture. They were able to recover and get a fighting draw against Spain, but they still need to win their final game against Costa Rica to qualify.

Here is how Germany line up for the group-stage match against Costa Rica on December 1.

MORE: Germany vs. Japan live: World Cup score, highlights, result from 2022 Group E match

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Germany predicted lineup vs Costa Rica

Given that Germany's defence performed admirably against Spain, we can expect to see a similar lineup against Los Ticos. The changes may occur higher up the pitch.

Leon Goretzka comes in to bolster the midfield alongside Ilkay Gundogan, with Bayern Munich's Joshua Kimmich set to drop to rightback. Leroy Sane comes in alongside Serge Gnabry and Jamal Musiala behind Thomas Muller with Niclas Fullkrug, the man who equalised for Germany again on the bench despite his positive impact last game.

Manchester City's Gundogan is the only non-Bayern player in the front six.

Germany (4-2-3-1, right to left): 1-Neuer (GK) — 6-Kimmich, 15-Sule, 2-Rudiger, 3-Raum — 21-Gundogan, 8-Goretzka — 10-Gnabry, 14-Musiala, 19-Sane — 13-Muller

  • Injured: None
  • Suspended: None

MORE: Full World Cup schedule for Germany 

Germany World Cup squad

Here are the 26 names on Germany's World Cup squad in Qatar (caps correct as of start of Qatar 2022):

Position No. Player Club Age Caps
GK 1 Manuel Neuer Bayern Munich (GER) 36 114
GK 22 Marc-Andre ter Stegen Barcelona (SPA) 30 30
GK 12 Kevin Trapp Eintracht Frankfurt (GER) 32 6
DEF 25 Armel Bella-Kotchap Southampton (ENG) 20 2
DEF 4 Mattias Ginter SC Freiburg (GER) 28 47
DEF 20 Christian Gunter Freiburg (GER) 29 7
DEF 5 Thilo Kehrer West Ham (ENG) 26 23
DEF 16 Lukas Klostermann RB Leipzig (GER) 26 19
DEF 3 David Raum RB Leipzig (GER) 24 12
DEF 2 Antonio Rudiger Real Madrid (SPA) 29 54
DEF 23 Nico Schlotterbeck Borussia Dortmund (GER) 22 6
DEF 15 Niklas Sule Borussia Dortmund (GER) 27 42
MID 17 Julian Brandt Borussia Dortmund (GER) 26 39
MID 8 Leon Goretzka Bayern Munich (GER) 27 44
MID 21 Ilkay Gundogan Manchester City (ENG) 31 63
MID 11 Mario Gotze Eintracht Frankfurt (GER) 30 63
MID 18 Jonas Hofmann B. Monchengladbach (GER) 30 17
MID 6 Joshua Kimmich Bayern Munich (GER) 27 71
MID 14 Jamal Musiala Bayern Munich (GER) 19 17
MID 13 Thomas Muller Bayern Munich (GER) 33 118
MID 19 Leroy Sane Bayern Munich (GER) 26 48
Forward 26 Youssoufa Moukoko Borussia Dortmund (GER) 17 1
Forward 24 Karim Adeyemi Borussia Dortmund (GER) 20 4
Forward 9 Niclas Fullkrug Werder Bremen (GER) 29 1
Forward 10 Serge Gnabry Bayern Munich (GER) 27 36
Forward 7 Kai Havertz Chelsea (ENG) 23 31