Euro 2024: How Germany will line up against Denmark

Cameron Smith

Updated: 28 Jun 2024 11:35 BST
4 min read

Germany have the expectation of a nation on their shoulders this summer as they compete in the home European Championship.

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It is the first major men’s international tournament the country has held since the 2006 World Cup and they have thus far performed well under Julian Nagelsmann’s guidance.

Germany exited the 2022 World Cup in the group stages after a horrific three games under Hansi Flick, but their squad is extremely talented and they have been backed as potential Euro 2024 winners by many.

Nagelsmann has the likes of Florian Wirtz and Jamal Musiala to call upon in attack, while Antonio Rudiger - who many consider to be one of the world’s best defenders - marshals the backline.

Germany had a barnstorming opening game as they put a terrible Scotland to the sword, running out 5-1 victors and, oddly, scoring all six goals of the match.

Wirtz, Musiala, Kai Havertz, Niclas Fullkrug and Emre Can all got on the scoresheet for the Germans, while Rudiger handed Scotland a consolation goal with a bullet header.

Germany also ran out comfortable 2-0 victors over Hungary in their second group game, thus becoming the first team to qualify for the knockouts. Goals from Jamal Musiala and Ilkay Gundogan sealed progression to the next stage.

In the third and final group game, late heroics from Fullkrug kept Germany's unbeaten run going after Dan Ndoye had put Switzerland 1-0 up in the first half.

Below, FootballTransfers predicts Germany’s first-choice starting XI for their next game against Denmark...

How Germany will line up at Euro 2024

Manuel Neuer is now 38 years old, but he remains Germany’s number-one goalkeeper, despite competition from Barcelona’s Marc-Andre ter Stegen.

Joshua Kimmich is now a regular at right-back for Bayern Munich and he is expected to remain in that position for Germany, while Stuttgart’s Maximilian Mittelstadt will be deployed on the opposite side.

© IMAGO - Joshua Kimmich starts at right-back for Germany

Antonio Rudiger is the first-choice centre-back and Bayer Leverkusen’s Jonathan Tah has been partnering the Real Madrid star. However, Tah received his second yellow of the tournament against Switzerland and will therefore have to sit out the game against Denmark. Tah will be replaced by Borussia Dortmund's Nico Schlotterbeck.

Toni Kroos has come out of international retirement to star at the tournament and he will receive midfield protection from Leverkusen’s Robert Andrich.

In Nagelsmann’s 4-2-3-1 system, he has thus far chosen Florian Wirtz, Ilkay Gundogan and Jamal Musiala to play as the three attacking midfielders.

Alternatively, Gundogan could drop to the bench, Wirtz could play as a No.10 and Leroy Sane could come into the starting XI as a right winger.

© IMAGO - Florian Wirtz will be a key player for Germany at Euro 2024

However, Nagelsmann preferred a narrow formation during the March international break and stuck with it against Scotland and Hungary, with Musiala, Wirtz and Gundogan playing in front of Kroos and Andrich.

Up front, Kai Havertz and Niclas Fullkrug have battled for a starting spot. Havertz has generally been the starter, but Fullkrug's impact has thus far been more meaningful, which has led to suggestions that he should start. However, it seems unlikely that Nagelsmann will tweak the system mid-tournament.

Germany’s starting XI at Euro 2024

GK: Manuel Neuer

RB: Joshua Kimmich

CB: Antonio Rudiger

CB: Nico Schlotterbeck

LB: Maximilian Mittelstadt

CDM: Toni Kroos

CDM: Robert Andrich

RW: Florian Wirtz

CAM: Ilkay Gundogan

LW: Jamal Musiala

ST: Kai Havertz

Germany's Euro 2024 squad

Goalkeepers: Oliver Baumann (Hoffenheim), Manuel Neuer (Bayern Munich), Marc-Andre ter Stegen (Barcelona).

Defenders: Waldemar Anton (Stuttgart), Benjamin Henrichs (RB Leipzig), Joshua Kimmich (Bayern Munich), Robin Koch (Eintracht Frankfurt), Maximilian Mittelstadt (Stuttgart), David Raum (RB Leipzig), Antonio Rudiger (Real Madrid), Nico Schlotterbeck (Borussia Dortmund), Jonathan Tah (Bayer Leverkusen).

Midfielders: Robert Andrich (Bayer Leverkusen), Chris Fuhrich (Stuttgart), Pascal Gross (Brighton & Hove Albion), Ilkay Gundogan (Barcelona), Toni Kroos (Real Madrid), Jamal Musiala (Bayern Munich), Emre Can (Borussia Dortmund), Leroy Sane (Bayern Munich), Florian Wirtz (Bayer Leverkusen).

Forwards: Maximilian Beier (Hoffenheim), Niclas Fullkrug (Borussia Dortmund), Kai Havertz (Arsenal), Thomas Muller (Bayern Munich), Deniz Undav (Stuttgart).