Germany's dominant win over Serbia secures quarter-final chance

In Belgrade the German national football team triumphed with a convincing 3:1 against Serbia, preserving their chance of reaching the Nations League quarter‑finals. Head coach Jürgen Klopp saw his eleven go ahead early, when Kai Havertz scored the first goal after a corner from Maximilian Mittelstädt.

In the third minute a corner from Srđan Babić led to a header by Kai Havertz, which hit the Serbian own net. That put the German side already in the lead.

Florian Wirtz made it 2-0 in the fourteenth minute. Shortly after the restart, debutant Brajan Gruda scored the third goal in the fiftieth minute after a solo run and a finish into the far corner.

Srđan Babić scored for Serbia in the fifty‑sixth minute, reducing the result to 3-1. In the closing stages Serbia had to continue with only nine players after two red cards.

Quarter‑final chances and competition

At the same time the Netherlands beat Greece 7-0, so no further calculations against the “the Oranje” were needed. Another win against the arch‑rival would see Germany definitively reach the UEFA competition quarter‑finals in March 2027.

Klopp secures final against the Netherlands after rain‑win in Belgrade

Before kickoff Jürgen Klopp told RTL: “We want to qualify for the final in Berlin, that’s beyond question.” Despite the bizarre atmosphere with a few thousand Serbian children up to fourteen years old and the bad weather, the goal remained unchanged.

Centre‑back Malick Thiaw was given the starting spot by Klopp ahead of Nico Schlotterbeck. Klopp explained that Thiaw could better intercept the long balls from the Serbians.

Kai Havertz was involved in both German goals, first with the own goal and later with Wirtz’s strike after a rebound. In the nineteenth minute Havertz tried a header after Gruda’s assist, but without success. Jonathan Tah could have scored the third goal with a header from a cross by captain Joshua Kimmich, but it remained unused.

Win in Belgrade puts Germany top of Euro qualifying group

After the halftime break Jürgen Klopp rushed to the long corridor, where he was handed a warm tea and dry clothes. Gruda’s low shot found the Serbian net and confirmed the 3-0. The 22‑year‑old from Leipzig showed why Klopp wanted to test him as an alternative on the right flank.

The Serbian children in the stands cheered euphorically after Babić’s goal.