Germany are staring down the barrel of back-to-back group stage exits at the World Cup, and must get a result against Costa Rica to survive.
With the disappointment of failing to make the Round of 16 as defending champions in 2018 still fresh, Germany began the 2022 tournament in equally awful fashion.
Japan came from behind to sink Hansi Flick's mean 2-1, before Spain routed Costa Rica 7-0 in the other Group E fixture. They were able to recover and get a fighting draw against Spain, but they still need to win their final game against Costa Rica to qualify.
Here is how Germany line up for the group-stage match against Costa Rica on December 1.
MORE: Germany vs. Japan live: World Cup score, highlights, result from 2022 Group E match
Germany predicted lineup vs Costa Rica
Given that Germany's defence performed admirably against Spain, we can expect to see a similar lineup against Los Ticos. The changes may occur higher up the pitch.
Leon Goretzka comes in to bolster the midfield alongside Ilkay Gundogan, with Bayern Munich's Joshua Kimmich set to drop to rightback. Leroy Sane comes in alongside Serge Gnabry and Jamal Musiala behind Thomas Muller with Niclas Fullkrug, the man who equalised for Germany again on the bench despite his positive impact last game.
Manchester City's Gundogan is the only non-Bayern player in the front six.
Germany (4-2-3-1, right to left): 1-Neuer (GK) — 6-Kimmich, 15-Sule, 2-Rudiger, 3-Raum — 21-Gundogan, 8-Goretzka — 10-Gnabry, 14-Musiala, 19-Sane — 13-Muller
- Injured: None
- Suspended: None
MORE: Full World Cup schedule for Germany
Germany World Cup squad
Here are the 26 names on Germany's World Cup squad in Qatar (caps correct as of start of Qatar 2022):
| Position | No. | Player | Club | Age | Caps |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| GK | 1 | Manuel Neuer | Bayern Munich (GER) | 36 | 114 |
| GK | 22 | Marc-Andre ter Stegen | Barcelona (SPA) | 30 | 30 |
| GK | 12 | Kevin Trapp | Eintracht Frankfurt (GER) | 32 | 6 |
| DEF | 25 | Armel Bella-Kotchap | Southampton (ENG) | 20 | 2 |
| DEF | 4 | Mattias Ginter | SC Freiburg (GER) | 28 | 47 |
| DEF | 20 | Christian Gunter | Freiburg (GER) | 29 | 7 |
| DEF | 5 | Thilo Kehrer | West Ham (ENG) | 26 | 23 |
| DEF | 16 | Lukas Klostermann | RB Leipzig (GER) | 26 | 19 |
| DEF | 3 | David Raum | RB Leipzig (GER) | 24 | 12 |
| DEF | 2 | Antonio Rudiger | Real Madrid (SPA) | 29 | 54 |
| DEF | 23 | Nico Schlotterbeck | Borussia Dortmund (GER) | 22 | 6 |
| DEF | 15 | Niklas Sule | Borussia Dortmund (GER) | 27 | 42 |
| MID | 17 | Julian Brandt | Borussia Dortmund (GER) | 26 | 39 |
| MID | 8 | Leon Goretzka | Bayern Munich (GER) | 27 | 44 |
| MID | 21 | Ilkay Gundogan | Manchester City (ENG) | 31 | 63 |
| MID | 11 | Mario Gotze | Eintracht Frankfurt (GER) | 30 | 63 |
| MID | 18 | Jonas Hofmann | B. Monchengladbach (GER) | 30 | 17 |
| MID | 6 | Joshua Kimmich | Bayern Munich (GER) | 27 | 71 |
| MID | 14 | Jamal Musiala | Bayern Munich (GER) | 19 | 17 |
| MID | 13 | Thomas Muller | Bayern Munich (GER) | 33 | 118 |
| MID | 19 | Leroy Sane | Bayern Munich (GER) | 26 | 48 |
| Forward | 26 | Youssoufa Moukoko | Borussia Dortmund (GER) | 17 | 1 |
| Forward | 24 | Karim Adeyemi | Borussia Dortmund (GER) | 20 | 4 |
| Forward | 9 | Niclas Fullkrug | Werder Bremen (GER) | 29 | 1 |
| Forward | 10 | Serge Gnabry | Bayern Munich (GER) | 27 | 36 |
| Forward | 7 | Kai Havertz | Chelsea (ENG) | 23 | 31 |