Nick Woltemade appears to have slipped to third-choice striker for Germany after being overlooked for their latest World Cup warm-up fixture. The Newcastle United forward was an unused substitute in the 2-1 friendly win over the United States on Saturday night, raising concerns about his playing time in the upcoming tournament.
Nagelsmann's praise not matched by action
Germany boss Julian Nagelsmann had been quick to extol Woltemade's virtues in the build-up to the tournament, even taking a thinly-veiled dig at Eddie Howe and Newcastle's tactics regarding the big striker. However, Nagelsmann's actions have not matched his words. After only using Woltemade as a late substitute against Finland—and in a withdrawn role, despite his comments about Newcastle's formation—the striker was completely snubbed for the USA match.
Instead, Nagelsmann opted to start Kai Havertz, a decision vindicated by the Arsenal man's goal and assist. Havertz, who joined the squad late after Arsenal's Champions League final, played 60 minutes before being replaced by Deniz Undav. This left Woltemade on the bench alongside Newcastle teammate Malick Thiaw. The duo were two of only four outfield players not to feature, indicating their chances of game time—especially from the start—could be limited during the tournament.
Woltemade now third choice
Woltemade now appears to be behind Undav and Havertz in the pecking order. Havertz can also play a deeper role as a No. 10. Undav scored twice and registered an assist in the 4-0 friendly win against Finland, and the Stuttgart man seems to have leapfrogged Woltemade in Nagelsmann's thinking.
Havertz believes the trio can all make an impact on the tournament and sees the competition as healthy. He said: "No one fears anyone here. We have to function as a team. Everyone has to be there when needed. There is no big battle here; everyone is there for each other. That is the most important thing."
"All three strikers like having the ball at their feet and want to help get it into the box. Each has different strengths. Deniz has a good instinct in the box and a strong scoring rate, and he often finds the right positions. Nick is also technically excellent on the ball and, with his size, brings a certain presence in the box. I am something in between. We have different profiles, but all the same goal. We support each other and there will be no drama. We are here together and our shared goal is to go far."
Thiaw also on the bench
Malick Thiaw, meanwhile, finds himself behind Borussia Dortmund's Nico Schlotterbeck and Bayern Munich's Jonathan Tah in the pecking order for centre-half positions. The win over USA was Germany's last warm-up game before they start their tournament. The three-time winners take on minnows Curacao in their opener on Sunday, June 14, before facing Ivory Coast and Ecuador in the rest of Group E.
