'We can beat anyone!' - Spain, England, France and Argentina issued a warning as Nico Schlotterbeck talks up Germany's World Cup credentials

Germany produced one of their most sizzling performances under the reign of Julian Nagelsmann on Monday evening, as they handed Slovakia a brutal 6-0 defeat at the Red Bull Arena in Leipzig. It was a brilliant performance that secured top spot in Group A of the World Cup qualifying campaign and, as a result, a direct entry to next year's World Cup in the United States of America, Canada, and Mexico. 

The win came on the back of an unconvincing 2-0 win over Luxembourg last week, with pressure on Nagelsmann and his players to finish their qualifying campaign on a high against a team that shocked the Germans with a 2-0 win in the opening game in September. However, it was a mightily impressive display from the four-time world champions. 

The in-form Woltemade continued his impressive goal scoring form internationally by breaking the deadlock in the 18th minute, with Serge Gnabry doubling the margin 11 minutes later. Leroy Sane, whose future in international football has been a hot topic of debate in recent months, dispelled all doubts regarding his place in the national setup by scoring a brace, his goals coming in the 36th and 41st minute. 

The hosts took their foot off the pedal after the break, but they were still too hot to handle for the gobsmacked Slovaks in the second half. Substitutes Ridle Baku and Assan Ouedraogo scored the fifth and the sixth goals for Germany, respectively, to cap off a sensational performance. In the process, Ouedraogo became the second-youngest player in Germany history to score on debut, aged just 19 years and 192 days.

Schlotterbeck returned to the starting lineup against Slovakia after missing the Luxembourg game due to a minor injury, playing 62 minutes. After the game, the Borussia Dortmund star spoke to ZDF and issued a strong warning to Die Mannschaft's most competitive rivals ahead of the World Cup.

“If we play like we did today, we are a very good team. And if the players who can help us but are currently injured come back, I believe we can have a very strong World Cup. The first step has been taken – and at the World Cup, the next steps will follow,” said Schlotterbeck. 

“If we play the World Cup like we did at the Euros last year – with a bit more luck and slightly better performances – we can really make an impact. If we play like we did today, it doesn’t matter whether we're facing the 46th-ranked team or the top-ranked team. We can beat any opponent. We are still Germany. We want to achieve something. I want to go to the World Cup to win it.”

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The Germans spent the majority of the qualifying campaign without several key figures. Indeed, the likes of Marc-Andre ter Stegen, Antonio Rudiger, Jamal Musiala, and Kai Havertz were all sidelined with injuries since the start of the season and didn't feature in a single World Cup qualifying game. 

What's more, the national team has been undergoing a big transition following the 2024 European Championship, with veterans Thomas Muller, Toni Kroos, and Manuel Neuer hanging up their boots internationally. Even still, there has been speculation regarding Neuer's possible return to the national setup.

Considering the aforementioned absentees are fit and available for the World Cup next summer, Germany could have one of the strongest units on paper. They will boast of ridiculous depth. Names such as Florian Wirtz, Jonathan Tah, David Raum, Nico Schlotterbeck, Joshua Kimmich, Aleksandar Pavlovic, Serge Gnabry, Nick Woltemade, Karim Adeyemi, Niklas Sule, and Maximilian Mittelstadt have become regular fixtures under Nagelsmann, while the likes of Said El Mala, Ouedraogo, Baku make up for their international inexperience with loads of talent. 

While the 25-year-old has firmly established himself as one of the first names on Germany's team sheet, his future at club levels remains a topic of speculation. With his contract expiring in June 2027, Dortmund are keen to ensure their star centre-back commits his long-term future at the Signal Iduna Park.

However, Schlotterbeck remains in no rush to make any decisions over his future. "But it won’t be so early that I extend my contract. We’ll have talks now. I’ll sit down with Sebastian Kehl, make a plan, and then we’ll see what comes of it," the former Union Berlin defender revealed in September. 

The likes of Liverpool, Bayern Munich, and Real Madrid have been linked with a move for Schlotterbeck next summer.