Germany’s 2014 World Cup Winning Squad: Where Are They Now?

It was Mario Götze who became Germany’s hero in the 2014 FIFA World Cup final.

The former Bayern Munich and Borussia Dortmund midfielder scored the only goal of the game against Argentina, controlling and finishing brilliantly in the 113th minute to deliver Germany its fourth World Cup title—and temporarily deny Lionel Messi soccer’s ultimate prize.

Yet Götze was far from the only standout. Eighteen of the 23-man squad saw action during the tournament, helping Joachim Löw’s side overcome the world’s best, including France and a famously humiliated Brazil in the 7–1 semifinal, to lift soccer’s most coveted trophy.

With the 2026 World Cup approaching, here’s a look at where every member of Germany’s 2014 squad is today.

Goalkeepers

GK: Manuel Neuer

Manuel Neuer celebrating. — Manuel Neuer is still going strong all these years later. | Shaun Botterill/Getty Images

Manuel Neuer played every minute of Germany’s triumphant 2014 World Cup campaign, keeping four clean sheets and claiming the Golden Glove as the tournament’s best goalkeeper.

It was a shock to many when Toni Kroos seemingly called time on his career in 2024, retiring after winning his fifth Champions League with Real Madrid—the sixth of his career, having also won one with Bayern Munich.

The German great, however, brought his international career to an end in 2024.

Roman Weidenfeller

Roman Weidenfeller ranks among the Bundesliga’s finest-ever goalkeepers, making just under 350 top-flight appearances for Borussia Dortmund across 16 seasons, winning two league titles before retiring in 2018.

Despite his domestic achievements, he earned only five caps for Germany and did not feature at the 2014 World Cup, though he was included in the squad.

Today, Weidenfeller remains at his beloved Dortmund, serving as the club’s international ambassador.

Ron-Robert Zieler

Ron-Robert Zieler came through the academy at Manchester United but never made a senior appearance before moving to Hannover 96—where he went on to make nearly 400 appearances across two spells.

The third-choice goalkeeper in Germany’s 2014 World Cup–winning squad, Zieler earned just six caps for his country. In one of them, against Argentina in 2012, he was sent off—becoming the first goalkeeper in Germany’s history to receive a red card for the national team.

Today, Zieler is still playing, turning out for Bundesliga side 1. FC Köln.

Defenders

Philipp Lahm

Germany’s captain in 2014, Philipp Lahm retired from international soccer immediately after lifting the World Cup. He continued with Bayern Munich before retiring from all soccer in 2017, leaving behind a legacy as one of the greatest full backs of all time.

Since retiring, Lahm has taken various roles in soccer administration, most notably serving as the tournament director for UEFA Euro 2024 in Germany.

Jerome Boateng

Once written off after an underwhelming spell at Manchester City, Jérôme Boateng rebuilt his reputation during a trophy-laden decade at Bayern Munich, where he evolved into one of Europe’s most dependable defenders and a cornerstone of Germany’s national side.

At the 2014 World Cup, he started all seven matches—three at right back and four in central defense—completing all but one of them as Germany marched to glory.

Boateng won 76 caps for his country and later had spells with Lyon, Salernitana and LASK before retiring in 2025.

Mats Hummels

Like Boateng, Mats Hummels only called time on his professional career in 2025, bringing it to a close after a one-season stint with AS Roma.

Before that, he collected multiple Bundesliga titles across spells with Borussia Dortmund and Bayern Munich, earning a reputation as one of the game’s most accomplished centre backs—reflected in Ballon d’Or nominations in 2017 and 2024.

Hummels won 78 caps for Germany during his international career.

Benedikt Howedes

Benedikt Höwedes was Germany’s first-choice left back at the 2014 World Cup, starting and finishing all seven matches on the way to lifting the trophy, and even providing an assist against Ghana in the group stage.

He retired from professional soccer in 2020, having spent the bulk of his career at Schalke 04, where he served as captain for six seasons.

Since hanging up his boots, Höwedes has worked as an assistant coach with the German national team while completing his UEFA Master’s degree, and has also appeared as a television pundit.

Per Mertesacker

Per Mertesacker made 104 appearances for Germany before retiring from international soccer after the 2014 World Cup. He started the nation’s first four matches in Brazil but was used sparingly thereafter, featuring for just a single minute in the final.

During the tournament, he became the subject of a viral moment following Germany’s Round of 16 win over Algeria, delivering a fiery post-match interview in which he forcefully defended his teammates against criticism.

A cult hero at Werder Bremen and Arsenal, Mertesacker retired entirely in 2018 and has since worked as a pundit while also serving as manager of Arsenal’s academy.

Shkodran Mustafi

Shkodran Mustafi made just one start for Germany at the 2014 World Cup, lining up at right-back in the Round of 16 against Algeria. His tournament was cut short after 70 minutes, however, when a thigh injury forced him off and ruled him out for the remainder of the competition.

Often associated with a turbulent spell at Arsenal, Mustafi also represented Sampdoria, Valencia and Levante before retiring from professional soccer in 2023.

He now serves as assistant coach of Germany’s Under-21 side.

Erik Durm

All seven of Erik Durm’s Germany caps came in 2014, although none arrived at the World Cup, where he remained an unused substitute throughout the tournament.

At club level, he retired in 2024 after a solid career spent largely in Germany with Borussia Dortmund and Eintracht Frankfurt, alongside a brief stint in the Premier League with Huddersfield Town.

He now works as an ambassador for German sportswear brand Jako.

Matthias Ginter

Another member of Germany’s 2014 World Cup squad who spent the entire tournament on the bench, Matthias Ginter is still going strong in his early thirties.

He currently plays for Bundesliga side SC Freiburg and remains in contention for the national team, making his most recent appearances in 2023.

Kevin Großkreutz

An integral part of the Borussia Dortmund sides that won back-to-back Bundesliga titles in 2010–11 and 2011–12, Kevin Großkreutz is still active in German soccer today, albeit in the lower tiers of the domestic pyramid.

He earned just six caps for Germany and was an unused squad member at the 2014 World Cup.

Midfielders

Christoph Kramer

Well done if you remembered that former Bayer Leverkusen and Borussia Mönchengladbach midfielder Christoph Kramer started the 2014 World Cup final for Germany.

Astonishingly, it was only one of the 12 caps he earned for the national team before retiring from professional soccer in 2024 to pursue a career in punditry.

Bastian Schweinsteiger

Bastian Schweinsteiger began the 2014 World Cup on the bench for Germany but started all five of his country’s remaining matches, including the final, playing as a defensive midfielder.

Widely regarded as one of Germany’s greatest-ever midfielders, he retired from international soccer in 2016 but continued at club level until 2019, finishing his career after a brief stint in Major League Soccer with the Chicago Fire.

He now works as an on-air analyst in Germany.

Toni Kroos

It was a shock to many when Toni Kroos seemingly called time on his career in 2023, retiring after winning his fifth Champions League with Real Madrid—the sixth of his career, having also won one with Bayern Munich.

Since then, he has returned to the pitch as part of the Icon League, a five-a-side competition featuring former soccer legends and streamers.

At the 2014 World Cup, Kroos was arguably Germany’s standout player, starting and finishing all seven matches while registering four assists and scoring two goals—both coming in the memorable 7-1 semifinal win over Brazil.

Mesut Özil

Best known for his time with Real Madrid and Arsenal, Mesut Özil retired from international soccer in 2018, citing what he saw as discrimination and disrespect from the German Football Association (DFB) and the media, before ending his club career in 2023.

Özil, a third-generation Turkish-German, now serves as a board member of the Turkish Justice and Development Party, owns shares in Mexican club Necaxa and runs several business ventures—including a Unity Health supplements lab he co-owns with former Arsenal teammate Mathieu Flamini.

Mario Götze

Mario Gotze — Gotze became a Germany legend with one kick of a ball. | IMAGO

The match-winner off the bench in the 2014 World Cup final, Mario Götze scored the decisive goal just 15 minutes after coming on.

He also found the net in the 2-2 draw against Ghana and provided an assist in the win over Portugal during the group stage—the only two games he started at the tournament.

Götze no longer represents Germany internationally but continues his club career, currently playing for Bundesliga side Eintracht Frankfurt, which he joined in 2022.

Sami Khedira

Sami Khedira featured in five of Germany’s matches at the 2014 World Cup, notably scoring a goal and providing an assist in the 7-1 demolition of Brazil, but he was an unused substitute in the final.

He retired from international soccer in 2018 with 77 caps and ended his club career in 2021, having played for the likes of Real Madrid, Juventus and Stuttgart.

Khedira has since become a well-known studio analyst.

Julian Draxler

Julian Draxler played just 14 minutes at the 2014 World Cup, coming on as a substitute in Germany’s win over Brazil. That was one of 58 caps he earned before retiring from international soccer in 2022.

The former Paris Saint-Germain midfielder is still active at club level, currently playing for Qatar Stars League side Al Ahli.

Forwards

Thomas Müller

Thomas Muller — Thomas Müller now plays for the Vancouver Whitecaps. | Omar Vega/Getty Images

Thomas Müller was Germany’s top scorer—and the tournament’s second-highest overall—at the 2014 World Cup, netting five goals. He recorded a hat-trick in the opening group-stage demolition of Portugal and also scored against the USA and Brazil.

Bayern Munich’s all-time appearance leader and third-highest scorer, Müller left Germany in 2025 to join MLS side Vancouver Whitecaps, helping them reach the MLS Cup in his debut season.

Miroslav Klose

Miroslav Klose scored twice at the 2014 World Cup—once against Ghana and once against Brazil. He retired after the tournament as both the World Cup’s all-time leading scorer with 16 goals and Germany’s all-time top scorer with 71 goals, three more than Gerd Müller, in 137 appearances.

Klose was also prolific at club level, scoring 258 career goals for the likes of Bayern Munich, Werder Bremen, Lazio and 1. FC Kaiserslautern.

He is now the head coach of 2. Bundesliga side FC Nürnberg.

André Schürrle

Andre Schurrle retired at 29. | IMAGO/Sportimage

Coming on in the 2014 final in the 32nd minute to replace the injured Kramer, former Chelsea winger André Schürrle retired from professional soccer in 2020 at just 29, citing the loneliness and relentless competition of the elite game.

Since hanging up his boots, Schürrle has turned to extreme sports, most notably scaling mountains in freezing conditions.

Lukas Podolski

Famous for his thunderous left foot, Lukas Podolski—perhaps surprisingly—made just two substitute appearances at the 2014 World Cup, coming on against Portugal and the USA, and remained on the bench for the rest of the tournament.

Germany’s third all-time top scorer with 49 goals, Podolski has enjoyed a trophy-laden and varied career, winning silverware with 1. FC Köln, Bayern Munich, Arsenal, Galatasaray and Vissel Kobe, while scoring hundreds of goals along the way.

Now in his forties, he continues to play in Poland for Ekstraklasa side Górnik Zabrze.

Manager: Joachim Low

Joachim Löw stepped down as Germany’s head coach in 2021, retiring as the manager with the most games managed and won in the team’s history.

Since then, he has been supporting SOS Humanity, a German NGO focused on the private rescue of refugees in distress at sea in the Mediterranean, beginning in 2025.