Without Nick Woltemade, Germany might not have made it to the World Cup. But the striker has not played any role in the tournament yet. Sporting director Rudi Völler, once a top striker himself, comments on the sensitive personnel.
One of the largest corporations in the world comes up with a special joke. Anyone who types the name Nick Woltemade into Google, the search engine of the American company Alphabet, is asked: “Did you mean: Rudy Feller?”
In terms of hairstyles, they are actually somewhat similar. From a sporting point of view there are few parallels. Rudi Völler, 66, was a striker at two World Cups: 1986 in Mexico and 1990 in Italy, and in 1994 in the USA he played occasionally as a substitute. Woltemade, 24, has not yet played at the current world tournament in the United States. “What is Zero Minute Man Nick Waltemade actually doing in America?” – asks the German press agency.
Of all people, the man who scored four goals for Germany in tournament qualifying is left out. That doesn’t mean Woltemade won’t be successful at the World Championships at all. For example, a tall striker was able to quickly repair his flip-flops that were damaged while playing badminton. Anyway. Woltemade also played against Kai Havertz, his main rival, in his free time between games and training at the team hotel, The Graylyn Estate, at the German World Cup headquarters in North Carolina.
Germany’s most prolific scorer in qualifying – not yet used. In the shooting against Curaçao (7:1) and in the mental victory over Côte d’Ivoire (2:1), Nagelsmann replaced others. In the defeat to Ecuador (1:2), Voltemade also did not appear; instead, the national team coach brought into the game, among others, Pascal Gross and Maximilian Bayer.
In the last test games against Finland (4:0) and the USA (2:1) before the tournament, Voltemade was practically not used. After the defeat to Ecuador, the Süddeutsche Zeitung wrote: “In fact, no one lost as much as Nick Woltemade (…) Everyone got a treat, with the exception of Woltemade, who a few weeks ago was considered part of the first half of the squad. He was even promised it.”
Only four players have not yet been used
Woltemade is the most notable player of the German national team, who was not even taken into account at the World Cup. In addition to him, these are goalkeepers Oliver Baumann and Alexander Nübel, as well as the late nominee Assan Ouedraogo. The association’s press office in Winston-Salem has a large poster with Waltemade’s photo on it, and DFB sponsors also advertise with his image. Otherwise, his presence at this tournament is small for spectators and reporters, because he does not play. “Of course we made different changes than if we absolutely needed another goal,” Nagelsmann said of his changes against Ecuador, which were sometimes criticized.
Three games played in less than a minute – before the round of 16 against Paraguay in Foxborough near Boston on Monday (10.30pm, ZDF, MagentaTV and live on WELT), a sobering midterm assessment for the Newcastle United striker. In the summer of a year ago, hardly any other player was talked about more than him. He had a good run at the UEFA European Under-21 Championship, finishing top scorer with six goals and reaching the final against Germany. Bayern wanted him because Newcastle signed him for around 75 million euros. In the second half of the year he was the best German striker – and now this. How did it come to this?
Havertz is in command. And Denise Undave, who Woltemade played with at Stuttgart, has the upper hand in this competition so far, scoring three goals and providing two assists in the first two games. And Jamal Musiala should set the tone in the “tenth” position, where Voltemade can also play. Voltemade is currently behind everywhere – and is only the third striker in the team.
“I’m working hard to get my chance,” he told the German editorial network. The striker is a team player and creates a good atmosphere. And he took it with humor when Havertz mocked him for his late professional badminton career. “Brother, do I look like a handball player or a football player? I wasn’t a handball player until I was 15, I was already playing in the Bundesliga when I was 15,” Havertz teased during a badminton match at the team’s headquarters in North Carolina. Waltemade grinned. His particular career path is not a weakness.
The striker is simply going through a difficult phase. In a Newcastle shirt he scored just one goal in the first half of the year. Coach Eddie Howe used him, if he used him at all, on defense and in some rather unusual positions. “However, some experts continued to judge me as a striker. Then they said: why does Nick score so few goals?
And he emphasized: “I learned a lot this season. I have improved athletically, I can keep up with a huge pace and hold my own in fights. Overall, this was a step forward. I will win there.” Despite these statements and a contract until 2031, there are rumors of a move this summer, with Borussia Dortmund and Atletico Madrid among others showing interest.
About his role in the national team, he said: “The team has become my home. People believe in me and I feel understood.” He is “one of the younger ones, but everyone knows what I have in me. With my goals, I helped us qualify for the World Cup. I am a valued member of the family.”
So far, that hasn’t given him any playing time. In the end, Nagelsmann was always appeased. “We will definitely cope as a team,” the national team coach said before the World Cup. Woltemade shouldn’t “worry”. The national coach has not yet kept this promise.
The question becomes when Voltemade’s moment might arrive. Feller closely follows the German team’s training at Wake Forest University in Winston-Salem. The players who did not start against Ecuador trained on Friday. “Everyone is participating really well, even those who haven’t played yet.” Glory to Voltemade. At the start of June, Völler said: “There will be a lot of players who might be a little behind now. It will be a fact. This also applies to Nick.”
Last Saturday, a reporter asked Feller again about Woltemade at a press conference. Feller then made a general appeal for team spirit and once again praised the training of the reservists. He sees the 1.99m Voltemade as a striker who can always help secure the ball when it comes into play. And he has the necessary scoring instinct.
Nagelsmann said last Sunday that the coaching staff had different ideas regarding the starting lineup and other issues. I am also considering the possibility of changing something regarding Paraguay. It might change differently this time depending on how the game goes. In the match against Paraguay it is important to be patient, the national coach emphasized.
Nick Woltemade is hoping his World Cup moment comes against Paraguay. Sometimes in football everything can happen so quickly. Nagelsmann won’t forget how valuable Woltemade can be.
Julien Wolf and Lars Gartenschläger are editors of the Center for Sports Competence. You are reporting for WELT about the national team for many years. They have been in the United States as part of the editorial team for almost four weeks and are writing from there about Germany’s selection for the World Cup.