Havertz scored three goals at the tournament, including Germany’s equaliser against Paraguay, though his saved penalty ended their shootout. His club standing looks strong after Arsenal’s title-winning season, but the role is not without competition: recent reports describe Mikel Arteta weighing Havertz against Viktor Gyökeres after both forwards struggled for goals.
Wirtz’s first Liverpool season brought five Premier League goals, below expectations, and the World Cup offered mixed returns: three assists, but no goals. A new manager in Andoni Iraola gives the midfielder a fresh opportunity, while the question of his best position remains central to Liverpool’s plans.
Undav made the clearest international impact of the three, scoring three goals and supplying two assists, despite mostly appearing as a substitute. His return to Stuttgart gives the club a forward coming off a high-profile scoring run.
Neuer’s international retirement closes a chapter: he was the only member of the squad from Germany’s 2014 World Cup-winning team and had played at four World Cups. He remains at Bayern Munich, but Germany must now build without a keeper who has been central to its modern era.
The wider problem is harder to ignore. Germany have now gone three consecutive World Cups without reaching the semi-finals, and this campaign ended after a 1-1 draw with Paraguay and a penalty defeat. A 7-1 opening win over Curaçao could not disguise the familiar failure to sustain momentum.
The next club season will test whether Wirtz can settle under Iraola and whether Havertz can hold his place in Arsenal’s attack. For Germany, the next international cycle begins with a more urgent question: who can turn a promising start into a deep tournament run?