The four-time FIFA World Cup winners Germany are ready to showcase their quality football performance in the FIFA World Cup 2026. After winning their fourth title in the 2014 edition, Germany were eliminated from the group stages in the last two WC editions (2018 and 2022), so the DFB Team is desperate to break this frustrating forgettable cycle.
Before the FIFA World Cup 2026, let’s check out some crucial FIFA World Cup records and stats for Germany.
(Team Records)
Contents
Brief records
Hosts
Best Result
Final place in every edition
Last records
Match records (Top 3)
> Biggest winning margin
> Biggest losing margin
Fair Play Trophy
Germany’s brief records in FIFA World Cup history
Participation | Matches | Won | Drawn* | Penalty shootout | Lost | Winning %* | |
Won | Lost | ||||||
20/22 | 112 | 68 | 21 | 4 | 0 | 23 | 60.71 |
(Drawn: including penalty shootout matches; Winning %: excluding penalty shootouts)
Hosts: 1974 as West Germany (Champions) and 2006 (Third Place)
Best Result: Champions (1954, 1974 and 1990 as West Germany; 2014 as Germany)
Germany’s final place in every FIFA World Cup
Year | Host(s) | Last position |
1930 | Uruguay | Did not enter |
1934 | Italy | Third Place |
1938 | France | First Round (Round of 16) |
1950 | Brazil | Banned |
1954 | Switzerland | Champions |
1958 | Sweden | Fourth Place |
1962 | Chile | Quarter-finals |
1966 | England | Runners-up |
1970 | Mexico | Third Place |
1974 | West Germany | Champions |
1978 | Argentina | Second Group Stage |
1982 | Spain | Runners-up |
1986 | Mexico | Runners-up |
1990 | Italy | Champions |
1994 | USA | Quarter-finals |
1998 | France | Quarter-finals |
2002 | South Korea & Japan | Runners-up |
2006 | Germany | Third Place |
2010 | South Africa | Third Place |
2014 | Brazil | Champions |
2018 | Russia | Group Stage |
2022 | Qatar | Group Stage |
Last time in FIFA World Cup for Germany
Last Champions: 2014
Last Runners-up: 2002
Last Finalists: 2014
Last Third Place: 2010
Last Fourth Place: 1958
Last Semi-finals exit: 2010
Last Quarter-finals exit: 1998
Last Round of 16 exit: 1938
Last Group Stage exit: 2022
Last Failed to Qualify: Banned in 1950 and Did not enter in 1930
Germany’s match records in FIFA World Cup (Top 3)
Biggest winning margin | Biggest losing margin |
8-0 vs Saudi Arabia in 2002 | 8-3 vs Hungary in 1954 |
7-1 vs Brazil in 2014 | 6-3 vs France in 1958 |
6-0 vs Mexico in 1978 | 3-0 vs Croatia in 1998 |
Germany’s FIFA Fair Play Trophy
1974 (as West Germany)
(Players’ Records)
Contents
Most FIFA World Cup editions
Top 5 most appearances
Top 5 most goals
Key World Records
Awards (only official competition awards)
Most FIFA World Cup editions for Germany
Lothar Matthäus is the only German footballer to experience five FIFA World Cup editions (1982, 1986, 1990, 1994 and 1998).
Top 5 most appearances for Germany in FIFA World Cup
Player | Appearances |
Lothar Matthäus | 25 |
Miroslav Klose | 24 |
Uwe Seeler | 21 |
Philipp Lahm | 20 |
Bastian Schweinsteiger | 20 |
Top 5 most goals for Germany in FIFA World Cup
Player | Goals |
Miroslav Klose | 16 |
Gerd Müller | 14 |
Jürgen Klinsmann | 11 |
Thomas Müller | 10 |
Helmut Rahn | 10 |
Key World Records from Germany
Most goals in FIFA World Cup history: By scoring 16 goals, Miroslav Klose holds the record of most goals in FIFA World Cup history.
Most appearances in FIFA World Cup history for Germany: With 25 appearances, Lothar Matthäus previously held the record of most appearances in FIFA World Cup history. Currently, he holds the record for the most World Cup appearances for Germany.
Germany’s FIFA World Cup Awards (only official competition awards)
Karl-Heinz Rummenigge (Silver Shoe 1982; Bronze Ball 1982)
Harald Schumacher (Silver Ball 1986)
Lothar Matthäus (Silver Ball 1990)
Oliver Kahn [Golden Ball 2002; Lev Yashin Award 2002 (presently known as Golden Glove)]
Miroslav Klose (Silver Shoe 2002; Golden Shoe 2006)
Lukas Podolski (Young Player Award 2006)
Thomas Müller (Young Player Award 2010; Golden Boot 2010; Silver Boot 2010; Silver Ball 2014)
Manuel Neuer (Golden Glove 2014)
