Germany vs. Paraguay: The key selection dilemmas facing Julian Nagelsmann ahead of World Cup 2026 last-32 clash

Germany are preparing for their first World Cup knockout appearance in 12 years after finishing top of Group E at this summer’s tournament, though they enter the round of 32 on a disappointing note.

Having already qualified as group winners, head coach Julian Nagelsmann opted against mass rotation for Germany’s final fixture against Ecuador, and that decision backfired as Die Mannschaft fell to a 2-1 defeat last Thursday.

The four-time world champions will be keen to bounce back with a victory in their last-32 encounter with Paraguay in Boston on Monday, but Nagelsmann has been presented with several selection dilemmas ahead of this important knockout fixture.

How Kimmich positional change could benefit Germany in midfield and defence

Germany have conceded in all three games at the World Cup thus far, while they have not kept a clean sheet in any of their last nine World Cup games since winning the 2014 final 1-0 against Argentina.

Forty-year-old Manuel Neuer has struggled between the sticks, but it would be a real surprise to see the veteran dropped for this last-32 tie. Nagelsmann may contemplate a reshuffle in the full-back departments, though.

Germany captain Joshua Kimmich is one of the national team’s most dependable players, but his skillset is better suited in midfield where he plays regularly at club level with Bayern Munich, according to 1990 World Cup and Ballon d’Or winner Lothar Matthaus.

“Do him a favour and get him out of the backline,” Matthaus told Bild. “I don’t see the Joshua on the pitch that I’ve known for years.

“At Bayern Munich, he is absolute world-class. In terms of his body language and positioning, I don’t see him as someone who leads the team or exerts influence when things aren’t going well. From the right-back spot, he just can’t seem to manage it.”

Germany could benefit in central positions if Kimmich takes up the role of a midfield orchestrator at the expense of Alexander Pavlovic, who has failed to reach the heights expected at this World Cup, with in-form Felix Nmecha playing alongside him.

Die Mannschaft could also benefit from this move defensively, as a more athletic and pacey option, such as Nathaniel Brown, could replace Kimmich at right-back to help neutralise direct, skillful opponents on the flanks.

Brown is predominantly a left-back and played there in Germany’s first two World Cup games, but the versatile 23-year-old is capable of moving to the right.

Should Nagelsmann be against the idea of playing a left-footed player at right-back, then either Malick Thiaw or Pascal Gross could be considered in a makeshift right-back role.

David Raum, meanwhile, could retain his starting spot at left-back if Brown starts on the right, as Jonathan Tah and Antonio Rudiger renew their partnership at centre-back following the injury sustained by Nico Schlotterbeck.

Should Sane retain starting spot on the right wing?

Nagelsmann also faces a critical decision on the right wing regarding whether Leroy Sane did enough in the final group game to lock down a starting role.

Sane exploded into life against Ecuador, scoring the opening goal after just one minute and 49 seconds to register the second-fastest World Cup goal in Germany's history.

However, the 30-year-old Galatasaray winger’s performances have been largely underwhelming and he has received criticism for his overall attacking output.

While keeping Sane in Germany’s lineup rewards directness and offers the perfect tool to stretch Paraguay’s compact defensive block, Nagelsmann may be tempted to revert to a more possession-oriented attacker to control the game's tempo.

Jamie Leweling would represent a like-for-like replacement for Sane, but playmaker Jamal Musiala is also a contender to move over to the right side of attack, especially if Nagelsmann decides to make another change in the final third (see below!)

Is Undav Germany’s super-sub or a deserving starter?

The ultimate focal point of Julian Nagelsmann’s tactical headache surrounds how best to deploy one of Germany's most efficient impact players: Deniz Undav.

Arsenal's Kai Havertz is still heavily favoured to lead the line from the opening whistle, but Undav's explosive returns of three goals and two assists as a substitute make it incredibly difficult to relegate him back to the bench.

Undav, a "born goalscorer" in the eyes of Nagelsmann, has certainly made an impact on the international stage since making his debut in March 2024, directly contributed to 13 goals (nine goals, four assists) in 12 caps for Germany, with his minutes-per-goalscoring ratio standing at 50.78.

If Nagelsmann opts to start both, Germany could unleash a fascinating dynamic where Undav and Havertz constantly alternate between the central striker position and the number 10 role throughout the match.

This positional fluidity would allow them to link up seamlessly with Musiala and Florian Wirtz, creating a dizzying, unpredictable front four capable of pulling Paraguay’s rigid defensive lines completely out of shape.

While Undav has publicly stated he is perfectly happy accepting a super-sub identity, accommodating his lethal output alongside Havertz might just be the tactical masterstroke Germany needs to spark their knockout campaign.

Possible Germany starting XI vs. Paraguay: Neuer; Brown, Rudiger, Tah, Raum; Kimmich, Nmecha; Musiala, Undav, Wirtz; Havertz