{
  "id": 12659482,
  "title": "Germany’s Champagne XI moving forward",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/07/germanys-champagne-xi-moving-forward",
  "topic": "culture",
  "section": "Culture",
  "published": "2026-10-07T16:00:00.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Yahoo Sports",
    "slug": "yahoo-sports",
    "url": "https://sports.yahoo.com/articles/germany-champagne-xi-moving-forward-160000825.html"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Thessaloniki, Greece - October 04: Jürgen Klopp's experimental lineup during the UEFA Nations League has been met with mixed reactions. Despite only winning one match out of four, the experiment has paid off in discovering hidden talents. Germany's current XI is built around the performance of players who excelled during the break in September, along with promising youngsters who weren't able to feature in this match.\n\nLeft Wing: Derry Scherhant, Kai Havertz, Nick Woltemade, Jonathan Burkardt, and Denis Undav. Kai Havertz is seen as the best current option at striker, while Nick Woltemade showed promise but struggled with form. Jonathan Burkardt appears disinterested, and Denis Undav could potentially take Havertz's spot but may need more time to adapt. Nicolò Tresoldi, impressing in the U-21s, has yet to decide his senior national team.\n\nRight Wing: Brajan Gruda, a dynamic attacker with potential to play alongside Florian Wirtz, creating threats in multiple attacking lanes. The team might consider another chance for Adeyemi, but Gruda remains a question mark. Florian Wirtz, Germany's best player, regardless of his current club form, is essential for the team's offense.\n\nMidfield Pivot: Tom Bischof and Aleksander Pavlović, who showed remarkable chemistry in midfield. The team performed better with this duo, and their continued success would make it difficult to change their roles. Other midfielders Joshua Kimmich, Felix Nmecha, and Angelo Stiller still have potential, but the current chemistry is undeniable.\n\nLeft Back: Nathaniel Brown, known for his dynamic play and high potential, is a promising option for the long-term. David Raum and Maximilian Mittelstädt are solid choices, but they lack Brown's youthful energy and future potential. Brown is expected to remain a key player for the next decade.\n\nCentre-backs: Nico Schlotterbeck, the clear favorite, and Malick Thiaw, the intriguing right centre-back option. Schlotterbeck is the clear favorite, while Tah, despite his experience, has yet to impress. Malick Thiaw, Thiaw, Yan Bisseck, and Finn Jeltsch seem to be the backbone of the defense for years to come. Tah and Anton might be bidding their final goodbyes to the national team with their advancing ages.\n\nRight Back: Philipp Treu, who excelled in the international break, is the definitive choice for the role, leaving uncertainty for Joshua Kimmich, who has moved into midfield. Jonas Urbig, while a tough decision, is a forward-thinking choice to replace older veterans.",
  "summary": "Who should fit in Jürgen Klopp’s XI in November?",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}