In a historic upset, Germany suffered a 2-0 loss to Slovakia in a World Cup 2026 qualifier on Thursday, marking their first-ever away defeat in a qualifying match. The shock result puts Germany’s qualification campaign in jeopardy as they now need to win all of their remaining five matches to avoid a playoff spot.
David Hancko and David Strelec capitalized on defensive mistakes from the German side, each scoring to give Slovakia a surprise lead. Despite several efforts, Germany couldn’t find a way through Slovakia’s defense, and the loss is a blow to coach Julian Nagelsmann, who criticized his team for lacking emotional intensity and the will to win.
Nagelsmann questioned the team’s approach, stating that they may need to rely less on skill and more on players willing to give everything for the team. “Maybe we really do need to rely less on quality and instead on players who just give everything,” he told broadcaster ARD.
Germany, who has participated in every World Cup since 1954, had only lost three previous World Cup qualifiers—each at home—until Thursday. The loss in Slovakia marks their second-ever loss in a World Cup qualifier by more than one goal, the first being a 5-1 defeat to England in 2001.
Spain got their campaign off to a strong start, with Mikel Oyarzabal scoring early in the fifth minute to help them secure a 3-0 win over Bulgaria. Goals from Marc Cucurella and Mikel Merino sealed the victory for Spain in their opening match.
Meanwhile, Belgium overcame a slow start against Liechtenstein, leading 1-0 at halftime before finishing strong with a 6-0 win. Youri Tielemans scored twice, while Kevin De Bruyne added a goal for Belgium, making a resounding statement in their opening match.
Other notable results include Turkey defeating Georgia 3-2 with an injury-time save from Ugurcan Cakir, and Poland earning a 1-1 draw with the Netherlands, thanks to a late equalizer from Matty Cash.
Germany’s loss has shaken up Group A, with Slovakia‘s unexpected win putting their World Cup hopes on a more challenging path. The German team, once confident of an easy qualification, now faces a tough road ahead.
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