Germany convincingly defeated Finland in Mainz and entered the final stage of preparations for the World Cup without conceding a goal
The German national football team achieved a convincing 4:0 victory against Finland in a friendly match played on 31 May 2026 at the MEWA Arena in Mainz. According to the official match report from the DFB data center, the encounter began at 20:45, and the home team held a 1:0 lead at halftime. The scorers for Germany were Deniz Undav in the 34th and 57th minutes, Florian Wirtz in the 48th minute, and Jamal Musiala in the 63rd minute. For the squad of head coach Julian Nagelsmann, the match had clear preparatory value because it was played in the final phase ahead of the 2026 World Cup, which is being held in the United States of America, Canada, and Mexico.
Germany reached victory with a controlled performance in which it combined patient possession, high pressing, and efficiency after winning the ball back. Finland defended in a low block for much of the match, trying to close the space in front of its own penalty area and look for opportunities in transition. Such an approach slowed the German attack for a while, but after the first goal the match gradually moved in the direction of the home national team. Especially important for Nagelsmann was the fact that Germany did not concede a goal, which the head coach himself also emphasized after the match in statements published by the DFB.
Undav opened and decided the match
Germany took the initiative from the start, and the DFB states in its report that Finland, in the defensive phase, often pulled almost all its players close to its own penalty area. The hosts had pronounced possession in the opening minutes, but the first promising situations remained unused. Deniz Undav already had a close-range chance in the eighth minute, but Finnish goalkeeper Lukas Hradecky stopped his attempt. Germany continued to press, looking for faster combinations between Jamal Musiala, Florian Wirtz, Lennart Karl, and Undav, while Joshua Kimmich and Nathaniel Brown stretched the play from the wide positions.
The first goal came in the 34th minute after a set piece. According to the DFB's description of the move, Kimmich, after a quickly taken corner, crossed the ball toward Undav, who scored with a header for 1:0. That goal was important because it broke through the Finnish defensive block and allowed Germany to play with more space in the continuation. Before that, Finland threatened only occasionally, and the most concrete attempt was recorded when Robin Lod's deflected shot dropped onto the upper part of the net. Germany could have increased its lead before the break, especially through Brown after a pass from Karl, but the result did not change by halftime.
In the second half, Germany quickly confirmed its superiority. Already in the 48th minute, the home team punished an error in Finland's build-up play. Undav won the ball high in the opponent's third and served Wirtz, who scored for 2:0. That goal clearly showed what Germany wanted to get from the match: aggressive pressing after losing the ball, short distances between the lines, and a quick finish. In the 57th minute Undav scored his second goal, after Germany won the ball deeper in its own half, quickly moved into a counterattack, and through Karl found the Stuttgart striker at the end of the move.
Musiala returned with a goal, Karl used his chance in the starting line-up
The fourth goal was scored by Jamal Musiala in the 63rd minute. According to the official DFB report, Aleksandar Pavlović laid the ball off on the edge of the penalty area, and Musiala, with a precise strike from around 14 meters, hit the near corner. The goal had additional weight because Musiala said after the match that the goal was useful for the fixtures that follow and that he feels good after a period in which he had not played a full 90 minutes for a long time. His performance was important for the German attack because he created an overload between the lines and connected possession with the final phase.
Lennart Karl, who started the match in the attacking line, was also among the players who used their opportunity. The DFB relayed his statement that he had learned about his start in the starting line-up the day before and that the anthem and the assist were special moments for him. His role was significant in the third goal, when after a quick transition he assisted Undav. Karl hit the outside of the post in the second half after an individual run, and in the 73rd minute he was replaced by Leroy Sane. In the same minute Wirtz also left the game, with Nick Woltemade coming on in his place.
Germany had several more situations even after the fourth goal, but the rhythm of the match gradually dropped. Musiala was close to a second goal in the 79th minute, but his attempt ended beside the outside of the net. In the closing stages, both Sane and Maximilian Beier could have increased the lead, but the Finnish defense managed to block shots on the goal line. The DFB match report states that Nadiem Amiri came on in the 83rd minute in place of Felix Nmecha, which had a special context for him because the match was played at the stadium of his club, Mainz.
A defense without a conceded goal as an important signal
Although the result was marked most strongly by the attacking output, an important part of Germany's performance was defensive stability. Nagelsmann placed Oliver Baumann in goal, and Kimmich, Jonathan Tah, Nico Schlotterbeck, and Brown started in the back line. Nmecha and Pavlović were in midfield, while Karl, Musiala, and Wirtz operated in front of them. That setup, according to the DFB data center, was arranged in a 4-2-3-1 system. Finland, on the other hand, started in a 3-5-2 formation under head coach Jacob Friis.
Nagelsmann said after the match that he was satisfied with the course of most of the encounter, noting that the team adjusted some details at halftime and then implemented them on the pitch. He especially stressed that the result was good, that the team had not conceded a goal, and that it could continue in the same direction. Captain Joshua Kimmich, whose statement was also published by the DFB, emphasized that Germany did not allow the opponent much over 90 minutes and that it deservedly won. According to his interpretation, the home team wanted to show high pressing as often as possible, and one of the goals also came from such an approach.
For Germany, it is especially important that the victory was achieved without major defensive insecurity. Finland had brief moments in which it escaped the pressure, but it did not manage to threaten Baumann's goal continuously. The home team controlled the middle of the pitch, and after losing the ball it quickly returned to an organized shape. In matches ahead of a major tournament, such details often carry the same weight as the result itself because they give the head coach a clearer picture of how much the team can maintain concentration when the opponent waits a long time for a mistake.
Finland remained without an answer to German pressure
Finland arrived in Mainz with the idea of closing the central corridor and slowing down German combinations between the lines. In the starting line-up, according to the DFB match report, were Lukas Hradecky, Nikolai Alho, Viller Koski, Tony Miettinen, Ryan Mahuta, Anssi Suhonen, Adam Marhiev, Leo Walta, Robin Lod, Topi Keskinen, and Benjamin Källman. At the beginning of the second half, Finland tried to freshen up the team with several substitutions: Joel Pohjanpalo, Daniel Håkans, and Oliver Antman came on in the 58th minute. However, the changes did not alter the basic balance of power on the pitch.
Finland's biggest problem was playing out of pressure. At the second goal, Germany showed how quickly it can punish uncertainty in the back line, and a similar pattern was seen in the continuation of the encounter. When Finland managed to carry the ball toward the middle, the German midfield quickly closed the space and directed play toward the touchline. In such circumstances, Finland's attackers were often left isolated, and attempts toward the German penalty area were rare and insufficiently dangerous.
For the Finnish national team, the defeat showed the difference in intensity and squad depth compared with an opponent preparing for an appearance at the World Cup. Although Finland stood behind the ball in a disciplined way in certain phases, after conceding the first goal it found it increasingly difficult to close the space around its own penalty area. It had particular difficulty defending situations after quick ball progression, when Wirtz, Musiala, Karl, and Undav changed positions and opened gaps between the center-backs, wide players, and midfield line.
Preparation for the World Cup in a new format
This match had broader significance because Germany entered the final part of its preparations for the 2026 World Cup. According to FIFA's official information, the tournament is being played in Canada, Mexico, and the United States of America, with 48 national teams participating in a total of 104 matches. For Germany, the duel with Finland was one of the final tests before departure for North America. In its announcements, the DFB stated that after Mainz the German national team expects a trip to Chicago and a final check against the United States of America.
FIFA's schedule for the World Cup states that Germany opens its Group E campaign against Curaçao on 14 June 2026 in Houston. Ivory Coast and Ecuador are also in the same group, so Nagelsmann's team will seek passage to the knockout stage through three different opponent profiles. That is precisely why friendly matches in the final stage of preparations have pronounced tactical value. Through them, the head coach can check who fits best in individual roles, how high pressing functions against a low block, and how quickly the team returns to defensive balance.
The victory against Finland does not bring competitive points, but it can have psychological value. According to the DFB, Nagelsmann emphasized that the team is currently collecting successful moments and that mutual trust is growing. He also highlighted a run of eight victories, which creates a more stable atmosphere around the national team ahead of a major tournament. Still, the match against Finland cannot by itself provide final answers about Germany's reach at the World Cup. Opponents at the tournament will have different styles, greater individual quality, and greater pressure of results, so the true value of this preparation will be measured only in official matches.
Nagelsmann received useful answers, but also room for further polishing
The biggest gain for Germany was the combination of an effective attack and a clean sheet. Undav, with two goals and an assist, sent a clear message that he can be a direct solution in the final phase, especially in matches in which the opponent defends deep and leaves little room for combination play. Wirtz and Musiala confirmed their creative value between the lines, while Karl and Brown provided additional energy and width. In such an arrangement, Germany had several ways to create chances: a set piece, high pressing, quick transition, and individual quality in the final third.
At the same time, the match also showed areas that the coaching staff will probably analyze further. In the first half, Germany had great control, but it needed time to find a precise solution against a dense defense. Such situations often decide major tournament matches, especially when the favorite must be patient and at the same time watch for counterattacks. Nagelsmann could therefore be satisfied with the outcome, but also aware that dominance in possession alone is not enough if it is not turned into timely shots and quality off-the-ball movements.
Mainz thus brought Germany a convincing result, four different attacking signals, and a defensively calm evening. For Finland, the encounter served as a test against an opponent from the highest European tier, while the home national team got what it was seeking most at this moment: victory, confidence, and confirmation that it can control a match without conceding a goal when initiative is expected of it. The next step will be turning such preparatory impressions into a stable tournament performance.
Sources:
- Deutscher Fußball-Bund – report from the Germany - Finland 4:0 match in Mainz (link)
- DFB Datencenter – official match report, scorers, line-ups, substitutions, referee, and match data (link)
- Deutscher Fußball-Bund – statements by Julian Nagelsmann and players after the victory against Finland (link)
- FIFA – official schedule and framework of the 2026 World Cup with data on matches, host cities, and competition format (link)
- FIFA – official overview of the Germany - Curaçao match in Group E of the 2026 World Cup (link)