Group photo in Winston Salem, North Carolina, where Germany will be based for the duration of the World Cup. A few serious faces, others more relaxed, from Wirtz to Musiala. Distinguishing feature: the count. Twelve players in the back row, three standing in the middle, another twelve seated. Twenty-seven in total. Yet the regulations state that squads for the tournament must not exceed 26 players per national team. At this point, another question arises: how is such a striking “oversight” possible?
There is no trick, no deception — and no breach of FIFA regulations by the Mannschaft. Julian Nagelsmann’s squad list is indeed correct. And yet, one extra player travelled with the group to the United States: Jonas Urbig, Bayern Munich goalkeeper.
Looking more closely at the photo, the anomaly is also visible in the presence of four pairs of gloves: as a rule, national teams tend to call up a maximum of three goalkeepers. So why has Urbig been added to the group, appearing even in the official FIFA photograph?
The answer is essentially tactical. Nagelsmann wanted a fourth goalkeeper to support training for the other three, ensuring optimal preparation without risk — with even numbers, especially in differentiated drills, work is more balanced and flexible. The 22-year-old from Bayern becomes a wildcard and a supporting figure, almost an additional player-coach hybrid.
There is also another factor. Should any of Manuel Neuer, Oliver Baumann or Alexander Nübel pick up an injury during the tournament — and given the veteran’s age and recent physical condition, that is not an entirely remote scenario — the DFB would be able to name a replacement goalkeeper. In that case, Urbig would already be on site, trained, and fully integrated into the squad environment.
Neuer is recovering from a calf injury that ruled him out of the recent friendlies against Finland and the United States, but has returned to full training and is expected to start in Germany’s opener against Curaçao. Prudence, however, remains essential.
What does FIFA’s rulebook say? Nothing that contradicts Nagelsmann’s approach. The numerical limit applies strictly to registered squad members, not to additional figures present at training camp. And if Germany have opted for this extra presence in Winston Salem, it remains an internal decision.
One thing is certain: leafing through the album of all 48 World Cup teams, someone may well wonder why the Germans appear with an extra player. Urbig and the others know.