Soccer Football - Bundesliga - 1. FC Union Berlin v VfB Stuttgart - Stadion An der Alten Forsterei, Berlin, Germany - August 23, 2025 VfB Stuttgart's Nick Woltemade celebrates scoring a goal that was later disallowed for being offside following a VAR review. REUTERS/Annegret Hilse
BERLIN (Reuters) -Germany striker Nick Woltemade returned to light individual training on Wednesday after recovering from a flu, as the national team prepare for their upcoming World Cup qualifiers against Luxembourg and Northern Ireland.
The Germans, third in Group A on three points, host Luxembourg on Friday before travelling to Belfast to face Northern Ireland, second on goal difference, three days later. Slovakia are top on six points with Luxembourg bottom on zero.
The 23-year-old Woltemade, who has made a strong start since joining Newcastle United this season, scoring in the Premier League and Europe, including Sunday's 2-0 win over Nottingham Forest, missed Germany's training on Tuesday after joining the team a day late due to his illness.
Woltemade is firmly in the spotlight ahead of the qualifiers after quickly becoming a crowd favourite in Newcastle. Bayern Munich board member Karl-Heinz Rummenigge last month had called Newcastle "idiots" for paying more than 60 million euros ($69.80 million) to VfB Stuttgart for him. Bayern had been keen to sign the player as well.
Germany coach Julian Nagelsmann also saw keeper Oliver Baumann return to training on Wednesday, easing concerns after Monday's late call-up of Freiburg goalkeeper Noah Atubolu.
The top team from the group qualify for the 2026 World Cup to be co-hosted by the United States, Mexico and Canada, while the second-placed team go into the playoffs.
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(Reporting by Karolos GrohmannEditing by Christian Radnedge)
