Germany legend Toni Kroos has urged Julian Nagelsmann’s side to rediscover their defensive resilience and get their star attackers firing again if they are to avoid a shock exit when they face Paraguay in the 2026 FIFA World Cup Round of 32 on Monday.
Although Germany progressed to the knockout stages as Group E winners, their campaign suffered a setback after a disappointing 2-1 defeat to Ecuador in their final group fixture.
Leroy Sane had handed the four-time world champions an early advantage, but Ecuador responded with two second-half goals to expose Germany’s defensive frailties and end their unbeaten start to the tournament.
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Why Toni Kroos has fired a stark warning to Germany
Prior to the defeat, Germany had opened their campaign with a commanding 7-1 victory over Curacao before edging Ivory Coast 2-1 to secure qualification. However, their latest display has raised concerns over whether they have what it takes to challenge for the title.
Kroos, who lifted the World Cup with Germany in 2014, believes there are two major issues Nagelsmann must address before the knockout rounds begin.
Speaking during a TikTok live session alongside former Germany striker Lukas Podolski, the retired midfielder insisted the team must become much tougher to play against while also getting the best out of creative duo Jamal Musiala and Florian Wirtz.
“It has to be nasty to play against us, meaning we need to be capable of defending well and being gritty. We aren’t doing that yet. And we need Jamal Musiala and Florian Wirtz in top form, which we don’t have right now,” Kroos said.
The former Real Madrid midfielder warned that unless those shortcomings are corrected, Germany’s World Cup journey could come to an abrupt end.
“If both of these things don’t change, we won’t last much longer. We used to have matches where we played poorly too, like against Algeria. But we were still able to win those bad games. I don’t think this current team has that in them,” he added.
Kroos also disagreed with Nagelsmann’s suggestion that complacency played no role in the defeat to Ecuador, arguing it is only natural for players to lose a bit of intensity after securing qualification.
“This is a group that gives everything. However, I don’t agree with the coach saying that complacency had absolutely nothing to do with it. You always have that in the back of your mind when you’ve already qualified. You can’t just block it out; it’s completely human. We are simply not a physical team,” he explained.
Podolski, however, viewed the defeat from a different perspective, suggesting it could prove to be a timely wake-up call ahead of the knockout rounds.
“Maybe a defeat like this is a good thing. To get a slap in the face. So that everyone says, ‘Alright, let’s calm down now.’ Maybe a loss like this does some good, so that everyone takes a moment to reflect in their own room. We shouldn’t just talk everything down now. Let’s push the boys,” said the former forward.
Despite his criticism, Kroos remains optimistic about Germany’s chances if they respond positively and rediscover their rhythm.
He believes Nagelsmann’s men possess enough quality to compete with any side in the tournament should they overcome their current struggles.
“And I stand by my statement: I believe that if it comes to a match against France, if everything clicks, we can beat them,” Kroos concluded.
Germany now shift their focus to Monday’s Round of 32 showdown against Paraguay in Foxborough, knowing another performance like the one against Ecuador could bring their World Cup campaign to a premature end.
A victory would book a place in the last 16, where a heavyweight clash against tournament favourites France could await.
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