Germany Women’s head coach Christian Wück has been forced into several late changes ahead of this month’s friendlies against Australia and Japan, with injuries altering a squad originally selected to begin preparations for the 2027 World Cup.
Germany host Australia in Karlsruhe on Friday before facing reigning Asian champions Japan in Bremen four days later. Germany already secured World Cup qualification with successive 2-0 victories over Norway and Slovenia in June.
The original 24-player selection already contained several notable developments. Arsenal teenager Lisa Baum received her first senior call-up, Laura Freigang returned after missing the June internationals and first-choice goalkeeper Ann-Katrin Berger was granted a planned break.
Wück has since lost both captain Giulia Gwinn and Vivien Endemann to injury. Sarai Linder and Nicole Anyomi have joined the squad as replacements.
Here are some of the principal talking points surrounding the latest Germany selection.
Gwinn injury forces another defensive reshuffle
Germany were already without experienced centre-backs Rebecca Knaak and Kathrin Hendrich when Wück announced his original squad. The defensive situation then became more complicated after skipper Gwinn suffered a lateral ligament tear in her left ankle during Bayern Munich’s 1-0 Bundesliga victory over Eintracht Frankfurt.
The latest setback comes a little over a year after Gwinn suffered a medial knee ligament injury in Germany’s opening match of Euro 2025, ruling her out of the remainder of the tournament. Gwinn – prior to inheriting the captain’s armband from the legendary Alexandra Popp – also regrettably missed the 2023 Women’s World Cup with injury.
Wolfsburg’s Sarai Linder has consequently been drafted back into the squad. The former Hoffenheim defender, now at Wolfsburg, brings plenty of experience, having been capped 34 times already at senior level. Linder featured for Germany at both the 2024 Summer Olympics and throughout the group stage of the 2025 UEFA Women’s Euros.
Nicole Anyomi receives unexpected route back into the squad
Nicole Anyomi was conspicuously absent when Wück initially announced his selection. The former Eintracht Frankfurt attacker had only recently returned from a thigh injury and was being gradually reintegrated at her new club, London City Lionesses. Wück therefore initially elected to leave her with her club. Vivien Endemann’s minor calf injury has changed those plans.
Anyomi has now been called up as Endemann’s replacement and returns to a national-team environment she already knows well. The 26-year-old has collected 34 Germany caps and scored four goals since making her senior debut in 2022.
Her club record provides a clearer picture of her attacking output. Anyomi scored 55 times in 111 appearances for Eintracht before moving to England and has registered one goal in her first three appearances of the current campaign despite largely featuring from the bench.
Lisa Baum gets her first senior opportunity
The most intriguing new face remains Lisa Baum. The 19-year-old Arsenal winger has moved rapidly through the German footballing hierarchy over the past year. After joining RB Leipzig from Hamburg in 2025, Baum developed into one of the Bundesliga’s most highly regarded young attackers before Arsenal paid a reported €600,000 to bring her to London this summer.
The move has done little to slow her progress. Baum scored the winner at Brighton on the opening matchday and quickly pushed herself high into an Arsenal wing rotation containing significantly more experienced internationals. Her form persuaded Wück to promote the five-time Germany U23 international directly into the senior squad.
Baum is a natural left-footer capable of operating conventionally on the left or cutting inside from the right. Her acceleration, tight dribbling, willingness to attack defenders one-v-one and powerful left-footed finish give Germany an attacking profile Wück’s squad has previously lacked.
Her former Leipzig coach Jonas Stephan has been particularly effusive about her potential, stressing not merely Baum’s technical gifts but the degree to which she improved her defensive work and physical output during her lone season in Saxony.
Ann-Katrin Berger remains number one as Mahmutovic gets her chance
Ann-Katrin Berger’s absence should not be confused with a change atop Germany’s goalkeeper hierarchy. Wück made that point explicit when announcing that the 35-year-old would sit out this window by prior agreement. With Gotham FC entering the decisive stage of their domestic season in the United States, the national-team staff had already planned to give Berger the break.
Wück nevertheless confirmed that Berger remains “a little bit ahead” of Germany’s younger goalkeepers. That leaves Ena Mahmutovic with an important opportunity. The 22-year-old Bayern keeper has produced several strong performances at club level and already owns two senior caps. Wück has praised her consistency, growing presence and training performances and confirmed that she will receive playing time during the two friendlies.
Stina Johannes and uncapped Hoffenheim keeper Laura Dick complete the goalkeeper group.
Laura Freigang plays her way back in
Laura Freigang’s return is another significant development. The Eintracht Frankfurt attacker was absent when Germany completed World Cup qualification in June but has forced her way back into Wück’s plans through an excellent start to the club season. Freigang has registered seven goals and one assist in ten competitive matches and, with four Bundesliga goals through five fixtures, sits among the league’s leading scorers.
The 28-year-old started Germany’s final group-stage match against Sweden at Euro 2025 and has remained a regular part of the wider national-team picture. With 17 goals in 44 internationals, Freigang is already among the more experienced members of Wück’s attack. One of the most popular players in German women’s football, Freigang has still yet to establish herself for her home country at a major tournament.
Germany Women’s squad for Australia and Japan
Goalkeepers:
Stina Johannes (VfL Wolfsburg), Ena Mahmutovic (Bayern Munich), Laura Dick (TSG Hoffenheim)
Defenders:
Sophia Kleinherne (VfL Wolfsburg), Sarai Linder (VfL Wolfsburg), Janina Minge (VfL Wolfsburg), Carlotta Wamser (Bayer Leverkusen), Franziska Kett (Bayern Munich), Bibiane Schulze (Athletic Bilbao), Camilla Küver (VfL Wolfsburg), Marie Müller (Portland Thorns)
Midfielders:
Linda Dallmann (Bayern Munich), Jule Brand (Lyon), Sjoeke Nüsken (Chelsea), Elisa Senß (Real Madrid), Lisa Baum (Arsenal)
Forwards:
Lea Schüller (Manchester United), Klara Bühl (Bayern Munich), Laura Freigang (Eintracht Frankfurt), Selina Cerci (Arsenal), Cora Zicai (VfL Wolfsburg), Melissa Kössler (Denver Summit FC), Larissa Mühlhaus (Werder Bremen), Nicole Anyomi (London City Lionesses)
Germany fixtures
Friday, 9 October 2026
Germany vs Australia
Karlsruhe – 20:30
Tuesday, 13 October 2026
Germany vs Japan
Bremen – 17:45
