Germany steadied their FIFA World Cup qualifying campaign with a 3-1 victory over Northern Ireland at Cologne’s RheinEnergieStadion, a result that ended a run of three consecutive defeats and eased some of the pressure on Julian Nagelsmann. this win was vital for Die Nationalelf after the shock 2-0 loss to Slovakia left many questioning their mentality,Softfootball reports.
Nagelsmann’s men started brightly and wasted little time in asserting themselves. Nick Woltemade showed determination to steal Eoin Toal before releasing Serge Gnabry, who produced a superb chip over Bailey Peacock-Farrell to make it 1-0.
The early breakthrough looked to set the tone, but the visitors responded with a good fight. Paddy McNair marshalled the defence with grit, and his side soon found an equaliser. Justin Devenny’s inviting delivery was met by Isaac Price, who volleyed confidently into the roof of the net to silence the home fans.
Northern Ireland carried that momentum into the second half, pressing with intensity and forcing Germany to dig deep. Softfootball reports that Michael O’Neill’s men believed an upset might be on the cards, but the home side’s quality eventually told.
Before Kickoff Germany Football Federation celebrated World cup winner and Legend for the senior men’s team Mat Hummels on his retirement from football, the send off was posted via the team’s official X handle , see below;
A mistimed cross from David Raum turned into a gift for the germans as Nadiem Amiri calmly rolled the ball into an empty net, restoring Germany’s lead with 20 minutes left to play.Moments later, Florian Wirtz added the third brilliantly, smashing home a knuckle-ball free-kick from 25 yards to seal the win for the germans.
For Germany, this was more than just three points. It snapped fears of their first four-game losing streak since 1913 and reaffirmed their credentials as favourites to progress from Group A. Nagelsmann’s team remain firmly focused on building towards a 19th consecutive World Cup appearance and the possibility of equalling Brazil’s record of five tournament victories.
Northern Ireland, meanwhile, left Cologne empty-handed but not without encouragement. Their spirited display showed progress, even if it ended in a 10th consecutive defeat to Die Nationalelf. With the expanded 48-team format for the 2026 finals, O’Neill’s men still have every reason to believe they can end their long wait for a World Cup return, last achieved in 1986.
