Germany have opted to not rest a number of star players for their final World Cup group game against Ecuador tonight.
The 2014 World Cup winners edged past Ivory Coast last time out, and in doing so, confirmed a place in the knockout stage with a game to spare as Group E winners.
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Surprisingly, this is the first time Germany have managed to get out of a World Cup group since being crowned champions on football’s global stage 12 years ago.
So with qualification secured and a last-32 showdown next Monday on the horizon, Julian Nagelsmann had the luxury of being able to make wholesale changes in order to keep his best players fresh.
The Germany head coach picked an unchanged team for wins over Curacao and Ivory Coast, and has kept faith in Kai Havertz, Florian Wirtz and Manuel Neuer.
Nagelsmann has been forced into two alterations with Nico Schlotterbeck ruled out for the remainder of the tournament with an ankle injury and Nathaniel Brown also sidelined with a knock.
Antonio Rudiger replaced Schlotterbeck against Ivory Coast and does so from the start against Ecuador, with David Raum taking over from Brown.
It is the same midfield double pivot of Aleksandar Pavlovic and Felix Nmecha as Leroy Sane, Jamal Musiala and Wirtz form the attacking midfield trio behind lone striker Havertz.
CONFIRMED TEAM NEWS
Germany XI: Neuer; Kimmich, Rudiger, Tah, Raum; Pavlovic, Nmecha; Sane, Musiala, Wirtz; Havertz
Substitutes: Baumann, Nubel, Anton, Thiaw, Goretzka, Leweling, Gross, Stiller, Amiri, Ouedraogo, Woltemade, Beier, Undav
Injured: Schlotterbeck, Brown
Time and date: 9pm BST on Thursday, June 25, 2026
How to watch: BBC
Venue: New York New Jersey Stadium
