Toni Kroos has delivered a frank assessment of Germany's struggles at the FIFA World Cup 2026, warning that unless the team shores up its defence and unlocks the creativity of Jamal Musiala and Florian Wirtz, they face an early exit against Paraguay in the round of 32.

The former Real Madrid midfielder, speaking on his TikTok Live show, pulled no punches in identifying the twin problems holding Germany back at this tournament.

Defensive grit the key concern

Kroos was direct about what Germany must fix immediately. "It has to be nasty to play against us, meaning we need to be capable of defending well and being gritty. We aren't doing that yet," he said.

He went further, warning that the absence of both qualities could prove fatal. "If both of these things don't change, we won't last much longer," Kroos added. He drew on history to illustrate the point, noting that Germany once found ways to grind out results even in poor performances — citing a difficult match against Algeria as an example — but doubted whether this current squad possesses that same resilience.

Musiala and Wirtz must spark into life

Germany's two most gifted attacking midfielders, Musiala and Wirtz, have both been below their best at the tournament. Kroos acknowledged their importance is non-negotiable: "We need Musiala and Wirtz in top form — which we don't have right now."

Despite their struggles in the defeat to Ecuador, manager Julian Nagelsmann is expected to keep faith with the pair for the Paraguay fixture. A victory there would propel Germany into the last 16, where a heavyweight clash with France could be waiting.

Kroos pushes back on Nagelsmann over complacency

Kroos also took issue with Nagelsmann's suggestion that complacency played no role in Germany's unconvincing performances. "I don't agree with the coach saying that complacency had absolutely nothing to do with it. You always have that in the back of your mind when you've already qualified. You can't just block it out; it's completely human," he said.

He rounded off his assessment by acknowledging a fundamental limitation of this Germany side. "We are simply not a physical team," Kroos admitted — a candid observation that underscores just how much Germany rely on technical excellence and collective cohesion to succeed at the highest level.