Germany fell at the opening hurdle on the game’s biggest stage in 1938 for the first time after failing to get out of their group at the 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia.
Their disappointing results put pressure on Joachim Low’s position at the helm of the national team, and he finally opted to step aside last year.
Hansi Flick left his role with Bayern Munich to replace Low, and Germany powered through qualification to take his place in Qatar.
Die Mannschaft have consistently impressed at the World Cup stage – 2018 aside – and Flick will be confident of making a deep run into the knockout stages this time around.
How many times has Germany won the World Cup?
Germany holds the proud record of being the most successful European nation in World Cup history, with four wins, with overall leaders Brazil on five.
Italy has also won four trophies, but Germany’s record of four second-place finishes is better than the Italians’ two.
All three of their victories came as West Germany — in 1954, 1974, and 1990, before Mario Gotze’s extra-time goal saw them beat Argentina 1-0 in 2014 final as a unified nation.
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Germany World Cup History
A third-place finish at the 1934 World Cup in Mexico was a rare high point of early World Cup action for Germany, with FIFA banning the tournament in the 1950s shortly after World War II.
Their return to the biggest stage in 1954 saw an immediate response, as West Germany claimed their first title in Switzerland under manager Sepp Herberger.
Then there were four straight knockout stage exits before winning as hosts in 1974 under Helmut Schön.
Back-to-back final defeats in 1982 and 1986 were avenged at Italia ’90, continuing their consistent pattern of reaching the knockout stages – including a final loss to Brazil in 2002 – before they again beat Argentina in the final at Brazil 2014.
| World Cup | Stage Reached | Record (W-D*-L) | Goals |
| 1930 | DNE** | – | – |
| 1934 | Third Place | 3-0-1 | 11 |
| 1938 | First Round | 0-1-1 | 3 |
| 1950 | Banned by FIFA | – | – |
| 1954 | Won | 5-0-1 | 25 |
| 1958 | Fourth Place | 2-2-2 | 12 |
| 1962 | Quarterfinals | 2-1-1 | 4 |
| 1966 | Runners-up | 4-1-1 | 15 |
| 1970 | Third Place | 5-0-1 | 17 |
| 1974 | Won | 6-0-1 | 13 |
| 1978 | Second Group Stage | 1-4-1 | 10 |
| 1982 | Runners-up | 3-2-2 | 12 |
| 1986 | Runners-up | 3-2-2 | 8 |
| 1990 | Won | 5-2-0 | 15 |
| 1994 | Quarterfinals | 3-1-1 | 9 |
| 1998 | Quarterfinals | 3-1-1 | 8 |
| 2002 | Runners-up | 5-1-1 | 14 |
| 2006 | Third Place | 5-1-1 | 14 |
| 2010 | Third Place | 5-0-2 | 16 |
| 2014 | Won | 6-1-0 | 18 |
| 2018 | Group Stage | 1-0-2 | 2 |
*Denotes draws, including knockout matches decided on penalty kicks.
** Not entered
Germany in the World Cup final
Winners (1954, 1974, 1990, 2014)
Runner-up (1966, 1982, 1986, 2002)
West Germany and East Germany in the World Cup
After their FIFA ban was lifted after the 1950 World Cup, three sides entered qualification for the 1954 tournament, each representing a different region of the divided German state.
The Saarland was finally absorbed into West Germany by 1957, with East and West Italy competing separately until the late ’90s.
West Germany and East Germany were united after the fall of the Berlin Wall in 1989, and after 1990, the West Germany title was transferred to the newly formed Germany national team after international games ceased to be played.
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West Germany’s World Cup record
| World Cup | Stage Reached | Record (W-D*-L) | Goals Scored |
| 1950 | Banned by FIFA | – | – |
| 1954 | Won | 5-0-1 | 25 |
| 1958 | Fourth Place | 2-2-2 | 12 |
| 1962 | Quarterfinals | 2-1-1 | 4 |
| 1966 | Runners-up | 4-1-1 | 15 |
| 1970 | Third Place | 5-0-1 | 17 |
| 1974 | Won | 6-0-1 | 13 |
| 1978 | Second Group Stage | 1-4-1 | 10 |
| 1982 | Runners-up | 3-2-2 | 12 |
| 1986 | Runners-up | 3-2-2 | 8 |
| 1990 | Won | 5-2-0 | 15 |
*Denotes draws including knockout matches decided on penalty kicks.
East Germany World Cup record
| World Cup | Stage Reached | Record (W-D*-L) | Goals Scored |
| 1954 | DNE** | – | – |
| 1958 | DNQ*** | – | – |
| 1962 | DNQ | – | – |
| 1966 | DNQ | – | – |
| 1970 | DNQ | – | – |
| 1974 | Second Group Stage | 2-2-2 | 5 |
| 1978 | DNQ | – | – |
| 1982 | DNQ | – | – |
| 1986 | DNQ | – | – |
| 1990 | DNQ | – | – |
** Denotes draws including knockout matches decided on penalty kicks.
** Not entered
*** Not eligible