Germany’s FIFA World Cup qualifying campaign got off to an infamous start on September 4 as they suffered a shock loss to Slovakia.
Julian Nagelsmann’s position is now likely to come under scrutiny after a momentous defeat to a team 43 places below them in FIFA’s world rankings.
Germany reached the quarterfinals of Euro 2024 before losing to eventual champions Spain, but their performances suggested an improvement in fortunes under former Bayern Munich boss Nagelsmann.
They will likely still qualify for the expanded 48-team World Cup in 2026 in the United States, Canada and Mexico, but this defeat has left them with plenty of work to do over the coming international windows.
Slovakia beat Germany in World Cup qualifying
Germany were defeated 2-0 by Slovakia in one of the big shocks in UEFA’s World Cup qualifying section so far.
Goals from David Hrancko and David Strelec either side of halftime were enough for the hosts to claim a famous victory against the four-time world champions.
The first goal came approximately eight seconds after Liverpool’s big-money signing Florian Wirtz lost possession of the ball near the touchline.
Watch in USA:
Slovakia takes the lead over Germany thanks to Dávid Hancko 🇸🇰👀 pic.twitter.com/yJjOa4edJ0
— FOX Soccer (@FOXSoccer) September 4, 2025
David Strelec picks out the top corner 🎯
He doubles the Slovakia lead over Germany 😳🇸🇰 pic.twitter.com/RrgXyOW1Ct
— FOX Soccer (@FOXSoccer) September 4, 2025
Germany are ranked ninth in the world by FIFA, 43 places above Slovakia, but they were largely uninspiring in Bratislava.
It was the first time in 52 away World Cup qualifying matches they had suffered defeat, and the first time they had ever lost the opening game of a qualification campaign.
1 – Germany lost the opening game of a World Cup qualifier for the first time ever. In their 52nd away game in WC qualifiers, Germany lost for the first time ever after 41 wins and 10 draws. Reality-check. pic.twitter.com/XmZfT0Tung
— OptaFranz (@OptaFranz) September 4, 2025
Julian Nagelsmann record as Germany coach
Nagelsmann was appointed Germany head coach in September 2023.
He has since overseen 24 matches, both competitive fixtures and friendlies, winning 12 and losing six. Predecessor Hansi Flick, the only Germany men’s national-team coach in history to be fired, managed 12 wins and six defeats from 25 games in charge.
Have Germany ever failed to qualify for the World Cup?
Germany have never failed to qualify for a FIFA World Cup, although they have not taken part in each one anyway.
They did not enter in 1930, the inaugural men’s World Cup, partly due to the difficulty European teams had in travelling to the tournament in Uruguay amid the Great Depression. Then, in 1950, they were not permitted to take part at the World Cup as a result of the German Football Association being disbanded and then reconstructed following the end of the Second World War and the establishment of West and East Germany.
Germany next match
Germany’s next match is against Northern Ireland at the RheinEnergieStadion in Cologne. The game takes place on Sunday, September 7.
