The Germany national football team ( or Die Mannschaft) has represented Germany in men's international football since 1908. The team is governed by the German Football Association (Deutscher Fußball-Bund), founded in 1900. Ever since the DFB was reinaugurated in 1949 the team has represented the Federal Republic of Germany. Under Allied occupation and division, two other separate national teams were also recognised by FIFA: the Saarland team representing the Saarland (1950–1956) and the East German team representing the German Democratic Republic (1952–1990). Both have been absorbed along with their records by the current national team. The official name and code "Germany FR (FRG)" was shortened to "Germany (GER)" following the reunification in 1990.

Germany is one of the most successful national teams in international competitions, having won four World Cups (1954, 1974, 1990, 2014), three European Championships (1972, 1980, 1996), and one Confederations Cup (2017). They have also been runners-up three times in the European Championship, four times in the World Cup, and have a further four third-place finishes at the World Cup. East Germany won Olympic Gold in 1976.

Germany is one of only two nations to have won both the FIFA World Cup and the FIFA Women's World Cup. At the end of the 2014 World Cup, Germany earned the highest Elo rating of any national football team in history, with a record 2,205 points. Germany is also the only European nation that has won a FIFA World Cup in the Americas.

Abbreviations A = away match H = home match * = match in neutral place (c) = captain of team (g) = goalkeeper Am. = Amateur WC = World Cup EC = European Championship Confed-Cup = Confederations Cup NL = Nations League OG = Olympic Games CT = Consolation tournament of the Olympic Games GS = Group stage 2GS = Second group stage R16 = Round of 16 QF = Quarter-finals SF = Semi-finals F = Final a.e.t. = after extra time p. = penalty shoot-out GG = golden goal = goal scored from penalty kick = own goal (opposite the name) = players which played for Austria and Germany (opposite the name) = players which played for Poland and Germany green background colour = Germany won the match yellow background colour = draw (including matches decided via penalty shoot-out) red background colour = Germany lost the match The current and enlarged national team members are highlighted in bold. Players who have not been played for more than six months are in italics.

Player records

Most appearances

RankPlayerCapsGoalsPeriod 1Lothar Matthäus 150 23 1980–2000 2Miroslav Klose 137 71 2001–2014 3Thomas Müller 131 45 2010–2024 4Lukas Podolski 130 49 2004–2017 5Manuel Neuer 128 0 2009–2026 6Bastian Schweinsteiger 121 24 2004–2016 7Toni Kroos 114 17 2010–2024 8Philipp Lahm 113 5 2004–2014 9Joshua Kimmich 114 10 2016–present 10Jürgen Klinsmann 108 47 1987–1998

Most consecutive matches Since many players have been absent due to injuries, there are only a few players who have been able to play for the national team without interruption:Kicker Edition „100 Jahre Deutsche Länderspiele“, S. 77. Rank Player Matches Period 1 Franz Beckenbauer 60 9 September 1970 – 23 February 1977 2 Berti Vogts 48 27 March 1974 – 21 June 1978 3 Manfred Kaltz 47 8 March 1978 – 14 April 1982 4 Berti Vogts 39 6 March 1968 – 8 September 1971

Youngest players on debut Twelve players were younger than 19 on their debut, four under 18. 109 players were not yet of age on their debut. After the age of majority was reduced to 18 years on 1 January 1975, no players who were not yet of age have made their debut, with the exception of Youssoufa Moukoko in 2022, who debuted four days before his 18th birthday. Of the players who were not yet of age on their debut, only Franz Beckenbauer managed more than 100 internationals, but other players later became World and / or European Champions, who were not yet of age on their debut: Rainer Bonhof, Paul Breitner, Horst Eckel, Uli Hoeneß, Gerd Mueller, Wolfgang Overath, Berti Vogts, Fritz Walter. Besides Beckenbauer, Willy Baumgärtner, Paul Janes and Uwe Seeler later became record appearances.

The ten youngest players on debut are listed.

Rank Player Date of birth First match OpponentResult Competition Age 1.Willy Baumgärtner 23 December 18905 April 19083–5Friendly match17 years, 104 days4FW2.Marius Hiller 5 August 18923 April 19103–2Friendly match17 years, 241 days3FW3.Uwe Seeler5 November 193616 October 19541–3Friendly match17 years, 345 days72FW4.Youssoufa Moukoko20 November 200416 November 20221–0Friendly match 17 years, 361 days2FW5.Jamal Musiala26 February 200325 March 20213–0WC 2022 qualifier18 years, 27 days40MF6.Lennart Karl 22 February 200827 March 20262–3Friendly match18 years, 33 days1MF7.Karl Wolter 2 August 18946 October 19121–3Friendly match18 years, 65 days3FW8.Franz Jelinek 10 July 192215 September 19401–0Friendly match18 years, 67 days1FW9.Florian Wirtz3 May 20032 September 20212–0WC 2022 qualifier18 years, 122 days37MF10.Mario Götze3 June 199217 November 20100–0Friendly match18 years, 167 days66MF

Oldest players Eighteen players played their last match for Germany at an age older than 35 years, including six GKs. Eight national players continued to play for Austria or the Saarland after the Second World War. The ten oldest players at their last match are listed.

Rank Player Date of birth Last match OpponentResult Competition Age 1.Manuel Neuer27 March 198614 June 20261–2WC 2026 group stage40 years, 79 days125GK2.Lothar Matthäus21 March 196120 June 20000–3EC 2000 group stage39 years, 91 days150DF3.Jens Lehmann10 November 196929 June 20080–1EC 2008 final38 years, 232 days61GK4.Fritz Walter 31 October 192024 June 19581–3WC 1958 semi-final37 years, 236 days61MF5.Oliver Kahn 15 June 19698 July 20063–1WC 2006 3rd place37 years, 23 days86GK6.Richard Kress 6 March 192522 October 19612–1WC 1962 qualifier36 years, 230 days9FW7.Andreas Kupfer 7 May 191422 November 19501–0Friendly match36 years, 199 days44DF8.Andreas Köpke12 March 19624 July 19980–3WC 1998 quarter-final36 years, 114 days59GK9.Hans-Jörg Butt28 May 197410 July 20103–2WC 2010 3rd place36 years, 43 days4GK10.Miroslav Klose9 June 197813 July 20141–0WC 2014 final36 years, 34 days137FW

Oldest players on debut 39 players were at least 30 years old on their debut; for 16 of them it was their only match. Stefan Kuntz, who had made his debut at the age of 31 years and 49 days, made the most appearances (25). The ten oldest players on debut are listed.

Rank Player Date of birth First match OpponentResult Competition Age 1.Karl Sesta 18 March 190615 June 1941 5–1Friendly match35 years, 89 days32.Matthias Mauritz 13 November 192420 May 1959 1–1Friendly match34 years, 188 days13.Oliver Baumann 2 June 199014 October 2024 1–02024–25 NL34 years, 134 days104. Karl Tewes 18 August 188626 September 1920 2–3Friendly match34 years, 39 days65.Martin Max7 August 196817 April 2002 0–1Friendly match33 years, 253 days16.Paul Steiner23 January 195730 May 1990 1–0Friendly match33 years, 127 days17.Roman Weidenfeller6 August 198019 November 2013 1–0Friendly match33 years, 105 days58.Rudolf Leip 8 June 189012 August 1923 1–2Friendly match33 years, 65 days39. Kurt Borkenhagen 30 December 19195 October 1952 1–3Friendly match32 years, 280 days110.Kevin Behrens 3 February 199117 October 2023 2–2Friendly match32 years, 257 days1

Youngest captains Of the ten youngest captains, only Joshua Kimmich was captain in a competitive match, playing against Cameroon in the 2017 FIFA Confederations Cup group stage; the other thirteen youngest captains were only in friendly matches.

Rank Player Date of birth First matchas captain OpponentResult Competition Age 1.Julian Draxler20 September 199313 May 20140–0Friendly match20 years, 235 days11.9582.Christian Schmidt 9 June 188824 April 19102–4Friendly match21 years, 299 days1.133.Josef Glaser 11 May 188713 March 1909 England (Am.)0–9Friendly match21 years, 310 days1.454.Max Breunig 12 November 188826 March 19116–2Friendly match22 years, 133 days2.395.Joshua Kimmich8 February 199525 June 2017 (from 80')3–1Confed-Cup 201722 years, 137 days18.23 1066.Adolf Jäger 31 March 188914 April 19124–4Friendly match23 years, 14 days4.10187.Stanislaus Kobierski 13 November 19103 December 19331–0Friendly match23 years, 20 days11.1268.Eugen Kipp 26 February 18857 June 19082–3Friendly match23 years, 101 days2.2189.Serdar Tasci24 April 198711 August 2010 (from 66')2–2Friendly match23 years, 109 days14.11410.Ernst Blum 25 January 19042 October 19271–3Friendly match23 years, 250 days1.11

Oldest captains (first matches as captains) Of the ten oldest captains, only Marco Reus was captain for the first time in a competitive match, in a win against Liechtenstein for 2022 FIFA World Cup qualification after Germany had already qualified; all the other players only debuted as captain in friendly matches.

Rank Player Date of birth First matchas captain OpponentResult Competition Age 1.Jens Lehmann10 November 196927 May 2008 (from 67')2–2Friendly match38 years, 199 days54.161 2. Andreas Kupfer 7 May 191422 November 19501–0Friendly match36 years, 199 days44.144 3. Jakob Streitle 11 December 19164 May 19523–0Friendly match35 years, 144 days15.115 4.Hans Hagen 15 July 189420 October 19294–0Friendly match35 years, 97 days10.112 5.Josef Müller 6 May 189315 April 19283–2Friendly match34 years, 355 days12.112 6.Karl Tewes 18 August 18865 May 19213–3Friendly match34 years, 261 days3.26 7. Sepp Maier 28 February 194411 October 19784–3Friendly match34 years, 226 days90.695 8.Ulf Kirsten4 December 19652 September 1998 (from 46')2–1Friendly match32 years, 272 days37.251 9. Paul Pömpner 28 December 189226 June 19255–3Friendly match32 years, 180 days6. 1610.Marco Reus31 May 19892 September 2021 (from 82')2–0WC 2022 qualifier32 years, 94 days45.148

List of national players who were not born in Germany or Austria

No. Player Country of birth forGermany First match Matches againstcountry of birth (score)1. Fritz Balogh (Bratislava)122 November 1950 – 2. Josef Posipal (Lugoj)3217 June 1951– 3. Miroslav Votava (Prague)521 November 1979– 4. Fredi Bobic (Maribor)3712 October 199423 June 1996 (2–1 against Croatia)30 April 2003 (1–0 against Serbia and Montenegro) 5. Dariusz Wosz (Piekary Śląskie)17 26 February 1997 – 6. Oliver Neuville (Locarno) 692 September 1998 26 April 2000 (1–1)7. Paulo Rink (Curitiba)132 September 1998 – 8. Mustafa Doğan (Yalvaç)230 July 19999 October 1999 (0–0) 9. Miroslav Klose (Opole)13724 March 200114 June 2006 (1–0)8 June 2008 (2–0)6 September 2011 (2–2)10. Gerald Asamoah (Mampong)4329 May 2001 – 11. Martin Max (Tarnowskie Góry)117 April 2002 – 12. Paul Freier (Bytom)199 May 2002– 13. Kevin Kurányi (Rio de Janeiro)52 29 March 20038 September 2004 (1–1), 1 goal25 June 2005 (2–3)14. Lukas Podolski (Gliwice)1306 June 200414 June 2006 (1–0)8 June 2008 (2–0), 2 goals6 September 2011 (2–2)11 October 2014 (0–2)4 September 2015 (3–1) 15. Lukas Sinkiewicz (Tychy)33 September 2005 – 16. Piotr Trochowski (Tczew)357 October 2006 – 17. Marko Marin (Gradiška)1627 May 20083 June 2010 (3–1 against Bosnia and Herzegovina)18 June 2010 (0–1 against Serbia) 18. Andreas Beck (Kemerovo)911 February 2009 – 19. Cacau (Santo André)2329 May 200910 August 2011 (3–2)20. Roman Neustädter (Dnipropetrowsk)214 November 2012 – 21. Mahmoud Dahoud (Amuda)27 October 2020 – 22. Armel Bella-Kotchap (Paris)226 September 2022 – 23. Youssoufa Moukoko (Yaoundé)216 November 2022 – 24. Waldemar Anton (Olmaliq)1223 March 2024 –

Goals

Top goalscorers

RankPlayerGoalsCaps RatioPeriod 1Miroslav Klose (list) 71 137 2001–2014 2Gerd Müller (list) 68 62 1966–1974 3Lukas Podolski 49 130 2004–20174Rudi Völler 47 90 1982–1994Jürgen Klinsmann 47 108 1987–19986Karl-Heinz Rummenigge 45 95 1976–1986Thomas Müller 45 131 2010–2024 8Uwe Seeler 43 72 1954–1970 9Michael Ballack 42 98 1999–2010 10Oliver Bierhoff 37 70 1996–2002