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Assessing Germany’s striker situation: Spoilt for choice?

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It would be far from controversial to say that the German men’s national side have experienced something of a crisis in the striker department since the retirement of a certain Miroslav Klose. A number of options have been experimented with in his stead – Mario Götze, Timo Werner and Kai Havertz, to name a few.

By Ninad Barbadikar

It wasn’t until the introduction of Niclas Füllkrug that the problem had a stable solution. The now-Borussia Dortmund forward has emerged somewhat unexpectedly to become the defacto number nine for the national team. A good showing in Qatar at the World Cup has certainly cemented his claim to that.

Now though, Germany boss Julian Nagelsmann may be spoilt for choice ahead of the 2024 Euros in Germany. He has at least four credible options who will back themselves to be in the final team. Let’s look at each of them.

Deniz Undav

In what is only his fourth full season as a professional footballer, Deniz Undav has undoubtedly been one of the big surprise packages of the season.

On loan at VfB Stuttgart from Brighton and Hove Albion for the 2023-24 season, Undav has notched 14 goals and laid on a further six assists in just over 1400 Bundesliga minutes.

Serhou Guirassy has made headlines for his goal-scoring feats for Die Schwaben, but Undav’s own tally is nothing to sneeze at either. What makes the 27-year-old standout and be effective is his ability to generate shots and constantly be a threat inside the opposition box.

The German has averaged an incredible 0.74 xG per 90 in the Bundesliga this term, whilst his 14 goals have come from a tally of 11.62 xG. His strong underlying numbers can be attributed to just how many shots he gets away on a regular basis.

For a striker at 5”8’ ft. in height, Undav is no pushover in the air and even more effective in ground duels as well. He has a strong stocky build which is not as common in modern-day 9s. What he lacks in pace, he more than makes up for with his hold-up play and capacity to be a net-positive in possession.

Under Nagelsmann’s command for Germany, Undav would likely be best used in a strike pairing, with someone like Füllkrug. This would allow him to drop into pockets, link with Germany’s creative attackers and then attack opposition defences with well-timed runs into the box.

Maximilian Beier

From one late bloomer to a rookie making all the right noises, Hoffenheim’s Maximilian Beier is a star on the rise.

In what is his first full season in the Bundesliga, the 20-year-old has 12 goals from 25 appearances – a superb return for a forward who is very much still a raw talent.

Above all things, Beier is direct and fearless when taking on his markers. He excites audiences and devastates defences with his pace, and ability to time his runs on the counter. 

The youngster’s lanky tall build also makes him a handful to contain, and yet, the most promising aspect of his skillset as a forward is his sense of positioning in and around the box.

Beier is a manager’s dream not only because of all the things he brings on the ball but off the ball as well, he works his socks off whilst pressing and has punished teams that have failed to live with his intensity. Borussia Dortmund experienced that first-hand at home in the 3-2 defeat to Hoffenheim.

Combining his off-ball strengths with explosiveness in transition, Beier makes for the perfect super-sub for Nagelsmann’s Germany at the Euros. 

Marvin Ducksch

Another late bloomer in contention for a spot in Nagelsmann’s squad is Werder Bremen star Marvin Ducksch.

The former Dortmund youth academy product was first called up in November last year following an excellent start to the season.

“He brings a good amount of madness, which we need. He can be very valuable, especially as a joker,” said Nagelsmann, explaining his decision to call up the Bremen man back then.

Ducksch has carried Bremen on his back following Niclas Füllkrug’s departure last summer, scoring nine goals and making five assists in the league this season. The two strikers formed a fearsome pairing in the 2022-23 season, combining for some 39 goal contributions.

Nowadays, Ducksch is the main man at Bremen. Although he is physically quite similar to Füllkrug in being a target-man striker who can receive, hold-up the ball, and link play as well, Ducksch’s creative strengths are what help him stand out as a forward.

Standing at 6 ‘1 ft, Ducksch has a gangly yet strong frame which makes him a highly effective outlet for long balls into the final third. Once in possession of the ball, much like Füllkrug did last year at Bremen, Ducksch is usually the one making the final pass for runners around him. 

The 30-year-old’s strong creative underlying numbers are also supplemented by his ability from set-pieces, he’s already shown his threat in those situations on multiple occasions this term.

Nagelsmann’s comments in the past do suggest that if Ducksch finishes the season strongly, he could well be a serious contender to be part of the final squad. The former Dortmund man enjoys a close relationship with first-choice Füllkrug, and brings a lot of variety to the table with what he can do as a striker.

Niclas Füllkrug

Finally, we close with the main man himself, Niclas Füllkrug.

Replacing Erling Haaland hasn’t been the easiest of tasks for the Dortmund hierarchy, but in Füllkrug, they seem to have struck gold for the short-term.

The Hanover native is on course to get over 20 goal contributions once again in the Bundesliga, having scored 11 and assisted eight so far this season. 

Six of those 11 goals have come since the turn of the year, coinciding with Dortmund’s best run of form too. Though the goals have dried up more recently, he has struck up an excellent partnership with Donyell Malen and other Dortmund forwards. This bears positive omens for the upcoming Euros too.

What makes Füllkrug so perfect for Germany today is his combination of being the perfect link-play striker as well as being an old-school throwback nine, rough and ready to rumble, but equally delicate with his final actions.

Averaging some 1.39 chances created per 90 in the league, Fullkrug is well above his peers across the top European leagues when it comes to the volume of chance creation. A lot of these assists from him have come as a result of superb back-to-goal play and delicate passes or flick-ons into space. 

He may not be the most aesthetically pleasing forward to watch, but there is a lot to like about a striker who can both be a battering ram or the scalpel stabbing perfect passes for his team-mates.

The great thing about Füllkrug’s presence as a striker is also his unselfishness in front of goal. Speaking to Sky Germany about his assist figures, he said, “If you think about it, we also have wide players who have played the central striker role at other clubs.”

“They are also determined players who like to finish chances and have the ability to show their individual quality. That’s why I often find myself in the role of the creator. As long as I can help and it’s good for the team, I’m completely okay with that”

He may not lift the Golden Boot again this term, however, Füllkrug comfortably remains Germany’s best number nine up front, who has what it takes to bring the best out of the hugely talented group of attackers around him.

(Cover image from IMAGO)

You can follow every Germany game live with FotMob — featuring deep stats coverage including shot maps, xG, and player ratings. Download the free app here.

Assessing Germany’s striker situation: Spoilt for choice?

It would be far from controversial to say that the German men’s national side have experienced something of a crisis in the striker department since the retirement of a certain Miroslav Klose. A number of options have been experimented with in his stead – Mario Götze, Timo Werner and Kai Havertz, to name a few.

By Ninad Barbadikar

It wasn’t until the introduction of Niclas Füllkrug that the problem had a stable solution. The now-Borussia Dortmund forward has emerged somewhat unexpectedly to become the defacto number nine for the national team. A good showing in Qatar at the World Cup has certainly cemented his claim to that.

Now though, Germany boss Julian Nagelsmann may be spoilt for choice ahead of the 2024 Euros in Germany. He has at least four credible options who will back themselves to be in the final team. Let’s look at each of them.

Deniz Undav

In what is only his fourth full season as a professional footballer, Deniz Undav has undoubtedly been one of the big surprise packages of the season.

On loan at VfB Stuttgart from Brighton and Hove Albion for the 2023-24 season, Undav has notched 14 goals and laid on a further six assists in just over 1400 Bundesliga minutes.

Serhou Guirassy has made headlines for his goal-scoring feats for Die Schwaben, but Undav’s own tally is nothing to sneeze at either. What makes the 27-year-old standout and be effective is his ability to generate shots and constantly be a threat inside the opposition box.

The German has averaged an incredible 0.74 xG per 90 in the Bundesliga this term, whilst his 14 goals have come from a tally of 11.62 xG. His strong underlying numbers can be attributed to just how many shots he gets away on a regular basis.

For a striker at 5”8’ ft. in height, Undav is no pushover in the air and even more effective in ground duels as well. He has a strong stocky build which is not as common in modern-day 9s. What he lacks in pace, he more than makes up for with his hold-up play and capacity to be a net-positive in possession.

Under Nagelsmann’s command for Germany, Undav would likely be best used in a strike pairing, with someone like Füllkrug. This would allow him to drop into pockets, link with Germany’s creative attackers and then attack opposition defences with well-timed runs into the box.

Maximilian Beier

From one late bloomer to a rookie making all the right noises, Hoffenheim’s Maximilian Beier is a star on the rise.

In what is his first full season in the Bundesliga, the 20-year-old has 12 goals from 25 appearances – a superb return for a forward who is very much still a raw talent.

Above all things, Beier is direct and fearless when taking on his markers. He excites audiences and devastates defences with his pace, and ability to time his runs on the counter. 

The youngster’s lanky tall build also makes him a handful to contain, and yet, the most promising aspect of his skillset as a forward is his sense of positioning in and around the box.

Beier is a manager’s dream not only because of all the things he brings on the ball but off the ball as well, he works his socks off whilst pressing and has punished teams that have failed to live with his intensity. Borussia Dortmund experienced that first-hand at home in the 3-2 defeat to Hoffenheim.

Combining his off-ball strengths with explosiveness in transition, Beier makes for the perfect super-sub for Nagelsmann’s Germany at the Euros. 

Marvin Ducksch

Another late bloomer in contention for a spot in Nagelsmann’s squad is Werder Bremen star Marvin Ducksch.

The former Dortmund youth academy product was first called up in November last year following an excellent start to the season.

“He brings a good amount of madness, which we need. He can be very valuable, especially as a joker,” said Nagelsmann, explaining his decision to call up the Bremen man back then.

Ducksch has carried Bremen on his back following Niclas Füllkrug’s departure last summer, scoring nine goals and making five assists in the league this season. The two strikers formed a fearsome pairing in the 2022-23 season, combining for some 39 goal contributions.

Nowadays, Ducksch is the main man at Bremen. Although he is physically quite similar to Füllkrug in being a target-man striker who can receive, hold-up the ball, and link play as well, Ducksch’s creative strengths are what help him stand out as a forward.

Standing at 6 ‘1 ft, Ducksch has a gangly yet strong frame which makes him a highly effective outlet for long balls into the final third. Once in possession of the ball, much like Füllkrug did last year at Bremen, Ducksch is usually the one making the final pass for runners around him. 

The 30-year-old’s strong creative underlying numbers are also supplemented by his ability from set-pieces, he’s already shown his threat in those situations on multiple occasions this term.

Nagelsmann’s comments in the past do suggest that if Ducksch finishes the season strongly, he could well be a serious contender to be part of the final squad. The former Dortmund man enjoys a close relationship with first-choice Füllkrug, and brings a lot of variety to the table with what he can do as a striker.

Niclas Füllkrug

Finally, we close with the main man himself, Niclas Füllkrug.

Replacing Erling Haaland hasn’t been the easiest of tasks for the Dortmund hierarchy, but in Füllkrug, they seem to have struck gold for the short-term.

The Hanover native is on course to get over 20 goal contributions once again in the Bundesliga, having scored 11 and assisted eight so far this season. 

Six of those 11 goals have come since the turn of the year, coinciding with Dortmund’s best run of form too. Though the goals have dried up more recently, he has struck up an excellent partnership with Donyell Malen and other Dortmund forwards. This bears positive omens for the upcoming Euros too.

What makes Füllkrug so perfect for Germany today is his combination of being the perfect link-play striker as well as being an old-school throwback nine, rough and ready to rumble, but equally delicate with his final actions.

Averaging some 1.39 chances created per 90 in the league, Fullkrug is well above his peers across the top European leagues when it comes to the volume of chance creation. A lot of these assists from him have come as a result of superb back-to-goal play and delicate passes or flick-ons into space. 

He may not be the most aesthetically pleasing forward to watch, but there is a lot to like about a striker who can both be a battering ram or the scalpel stabbing perfect passes for his team-mates.

The great thing about Füllkrug’s presence as a striker is also his unselfishness in front of goal. Speaking to Sky Germany about his assist figures, he said, “If you think about it, we also have wide players who have played the central striker role at other clubs.”

“They are also determined players who like to finish chances and have the ability to show their individual quality. That’s why I often find myself in the role of the creator. As long as I can help and it’s good for the team, I’m completely okay with that”

He may not lift the Golden Boot again this term, however, Füllkrug comfortably remains Germany’s best number nine up front, who has what it takes to bring the best out of the hugely talented group of attackers around him.

(Cover image from IMAGO)

You can follow every Germany game live with FotMob — featuring deep stats coverage including shot maps, xG, and player ratings. Download the free app here.