Germany national football team

The Germany men's national football team (German: Deutsche Fußballnationalmannschaft) represents Germany in men's international football and played its first match in 1908.[7] The team is governed by the German Football Association (Deutscher Fußball-Bund), founded in 1900.[10][11] Between 1949 and 1990, separate German national teams were recognised by FIFA due to Allied occupation and division: the DFB's team representing the Federal Republic of Germany (commonly referred to as West Germany in English between 1949 and 1990), the Saarland team representing the Saar Protectorate (1950–1956) and the East Germany team representing the German Democratic Republic (1952–1990). The latter two were absorbed along with their records;[12][13] the present team represents the reunified Federal Republic. The official name and code "Germany FR (FRG)" was shortened to "Germany (GER)" following reunification in 1990.

Quick facts: Nickname(s), Association, Confederation, Head... ▼

Germany

Nickname(s)	DFB-Team (DFB Team) Nationalelf (National Eleven) DFB-Elf (DFB Eleven) Die Mannschaft (The Team)[lower-alpha 1]
Association	Deutscher Fußball-Bund (DFB)
Confederation	UEFA
Head coach	Julian Nagelsmann
Captain	İlkay Gündoğan
Most caps	Lothar Matthäus (150)
Top scorer	Miroslav Klose (71)
Home stadium	Various
FIFA code	GER
First colours Second colours
FIFA ranking
Current	15 (21 September 2023)[5]
Highest	1[6] (December 1992 – August 1993, December 1993 – March 1994, June 1994, July 2014 – June 2015, July 2017, September 2017 – June 2018)
Lowest	22[6] (March 2006)
First international
Switzerland 5–3 Germany  (Basel, Switzerland; 5 April 1908)[7]
Biggest win
Germany 16–0 Russia  (Stockholm, Sweden; 1 July 1912)[8]
Biggest defeat
England Amateurs 9–0 Germany  (Oxford, England; 13 March 1909)[9][lower-alpha 2]
World Cup
Appearances	20 (first in 1934)
Best result	Champions (1954, 1974, 1990, 2014)
European Championship
Appearances	13 (first in 1972)
Best result	Champions (1972, 1980, 1996)
Summer Olympic Games
Appearances	13[lower-alpha 3] (first in 1912)
Best result	Gold Medal (1976)
FIFA Confederations Cup
Appearances	3 (first in 1999)
Best result	Champions (2017)
Medal record FIFA World Cup 1954 Switzerland Team 1974 West Germany Team 1990 Italy Team 2014 Brazil Team 1966 England Team 1982 Spain Team 1986 Mexico Team 2002 South Korea–Japan Team 1934 Italy Team 1970 Mexico Team 2006 Germany Team 2010 South Africa Team UEFA European Championship 1972 Belgium Team 1980 Italy Team 1996 England Team 1976 Yugoslavia Team 1992 Sweden Team 2008 Austria–Switzerland Team 1988 West Germany Team 2012 Poland–Ukraine Team 2016 France Team Summer Olympic Games 1976 Montreal Team 1980 Moscow Team 1964 Tokyo Team 1972 Munich Team 1988 Seoul Team FIFA Confederations Cup 2017 Russia Team 2005 Germany Team
Website	DFB.de (in German)

Germany is one of the most successful national teams in international competitions, having won four World Cups (1954, 1974, 1990, 2014), tied with Italy, and only one less than the most successful team, Brazil. Germany has also won three European Championships (1972, 1980, 1996), and one Confederations Cup (2017).[10] They have also been runners-up at the European Championship three times, and four times at the World Cup, with a further four third-place finishes at the World Cup.[10] East Germany won Olympic Gold in 1976.[14] Germany is one of only two nations to have won both the FIFA World Cup and the FIFA Women's World Cup (the other being Spain).[15][16] By combined World Cups, Germany stands as the most successful football nation in history with six World Cups – four for the men's team and two for the women's. At the end of the 2014 World Cup, Germany earned the second highest Elo rating of any national football team in history, with 2,223 points.[17] Germany is also the only European nation that has won a FIFA World Cup in the Americas.