Germany in Chicago

After a Friendly Win Over Finland at Home, Germany Comes to the U.S. For Its Final Friendly

Germany arrives in Chicago as one of the tournament favorites, carrying both immense talent and a few notable question marks into their final warm-up match against the United States at Soldier Field on Saturday.

Julian Nagelsmann's side is stacked with attacking quality. Kai Havertz comes in riding high after scoring Arsenal's lone goal in the Champions League Final against PSG in Budapest, while Florian Wirtz has netted three goals in international friendlies dating back to the March window. Deniz Undav matches that tally across just two appearances, giving Germany a genuinely dangerous forward line heading into the tournament.

Bayern Munich's fingerprints are all over the squad, with Joshua Kimmich, Jamal Musiala, and others forming the spine of Nagelsmann's setup. However, questions linger about whether that Bayern core can truly deliver. Musiala has been below his best in recent months, and Kimmich will be deployed at right back rather than his preferred central midfield role—an arrangement that carries risk.

The bigger uncertainty heading into Saturday is in goal. Veteran Manuel Neuer, who came out of international retirement to play in a fifth World Cup at age 40, has been sidelined with a calf muscle injury and was unable to train fully with the squad as recently as Thursday. A final call on his availability is expected Friday, with Oliver Baumann ready to step in if needed.

Tactically, Nagelsmann favors fluid systems and emotional intensity, though his tenure has drawn criticism for inconsistency. Germany will need their star players, particularly Wirtz, to perform against top-tier opposition if they are to go deep in the tournament.