Despite the German national team being viewed by many Danes as favorites for the 2026 World Cup title, expectations remain relatively modest. This conclusion comes from a recent study by the University of Hohenheim, which was based on a survey of 1,000 people in Germany. According to the findings, only about one in five respondents anticipates a title win, while more than half of those surveyed expected the team to be eliminated by at least the quarter-finals.
While Germany was most often named as the world champion, the study indicates that there is no broad wave of title euphoria surrounding the team. In the long-term analysis, the German national team has lost its status as the definitive World Cup favorite. Markus Voeth, the study’s lead researcher, noted that “Spain and France are closing in as title contenders with 19 and 18 percent, respectively”. Meanwhile, Argentina, the defending champions, is considered by the German public merely part of the extended favorite circle with just 4.7 percent.
Although interest in the World Cup has recovered compared to 2022, the intense euphoria of previous tournaments is absent. Voeth added that “the general interest in football and sports has remained remarkably stable over the years”.
In terms of players, the Germans perceive Florian Wirtz, Joshua Kimmich, and Deniz Undav as particularly appealing and high-performing. Other players cited by the respondents as being both sympathetic and powerful contributors are Kai Havertz, Leon Goretzka, and Jonathan Tah. Manuel Neuer was not recorded in the survey as he had not yet been nominated for the squad at the time of the poll.
