With just a few days to go before the start of the 2026 FIFA World Cup, the German national team continued its top form after defeating the United States 2-1 in an international friendly at Chicago’s historic Soldier Field. The friendly drew a crowd of 63,636 to Soldier Field, a venue that hosted matches during the 1994 World Cup but will not host any official matches in this summer’s World Cup.
The German squad secured its ninth consecutive victory thanks to goals from Kai Havertz and Leroy Sané, cementing its status as one of the teams with the strongest momentum entering the World Cup.
Havertz struck early
The match had just begun when Germany opened the scoring. In the second minute, a foul by Tyler Adams near the box allowed Joshua Kimmich to take a precise free kick that found the head of Kai Havertz. The German forward rose inside the box to beat goalkeeper Matt Freese and score his 22nd goal for the national team. After a good end to the season for Havertz, he will be heading into the World Cup in great form.
Antonee Robinson responded for the USMNT
USA managed to respond before halftime. In the 37th minute, a corner kick taken by Christian Pulisic resulted in a poor clearance by the German defense. The ball landed at the edge of the box, where Antonee Robinson scored a spectacular left-footed volley to tie the match. The defender celebrated the goal with a flashy series of acrobatic moves that electrified the sold-out Chicago crowd.
Leroy Sané scored the winning goal
Just when the match seemed evenly matched, Germany once again demonstrated its dominance. In the 57th minute, Kai Havertz slipped a pass to Leroy Sané, who fired a cross-goal shot that went through Miles Robinson’s legs before beating Matt Freese. The goal proved to be the decisive one, sealing Germany’s victory.
A worrying streak for the United States
The loss extended a disheartening streak for the U.S. team. USA has now lost nine consecutive matches against European teams, dating back to 2022, and will be looking to end this streak when they face Turkey on June 25. Additionally, the team entered the match without one of its key defenders, Chris Richards, who is still recovering from an injury sustained in May.
Germany is already looking ahead to its World Cup debut
Germany also did not have a full roster. Young midfielder Lennart Karl was ruled out of the World Cup after suffering a muscle injury during training, while legendary goalkeeper Manuel Neuer continues to recover from a calf injury. His spot was filled by Oliver Baumann, who delivered a solid performance in goal.
With this result, Germany will head into the 2026 World Cup with high confidence and a nine-game winning streak. The Germans will make their debut on June 14 against Curaçao in a group that also includes Ivory Coast and Ecuador.
