Nick Woltemade and Malick Thiaw were part of the Germany squad taking on Switzerland on Friday night.
You can only imagine their thoughts on discovering that it was an English match officiating team taking charge of this friendly. The appalling Chris Kavanagh heading them up, a truly woeful referee who should never have been allowed to referee after he gave his worst ever performance (which takes some doing…) at a Newcastle United match, when refereeing the Aston Villa FA Cup match against United this season.
Friday night proved an excellent one for the Newcastle United pair though, which might seem a strange thing to say when Malick Thiaw was an unused sub and Nick Woltemade was only introduced for the final 27 minutes with Germany 3-2 down.
However, so abysmal and chaotic was Germany’s defending, as Switzerland took the lead three times, Malick Thiaw now has a great chance of not only being on the plane to the World Cup finals, but possibly establishing himself as first choice.
Germany have a friendly against Ghana on Monday and the United defender is very likely to start, an impressive showing and he will be in a great place ahead of the summer.
As for Nick Woltemade, he did well when he came on at the 63 minutes mark, helping Germany turn a 3-2 trailing scoreline into a 4-3 victory.
It was actually Florian Wirtz who was the clear star of the night, the Liverpool player getting two assists in the first half and then scoring twice after the break.
Despite Germany scoring four times in the match, Kai Havertz played no part in that goalscoring success. The Arsenal striker abysmal on his return to the international team and Germany looking so much better when United’s Nick Woltemade replaced him.
Bavarian Football Works reporting after the match:
‘Woltemade acted as a more traditional #9, leading to more directness and overall better play. Going forward, that is the archetype Germany should target. Nagelsmann cannot afford to overthink it. Germany has seen enough of Kai Havertz. Arsenal may get some use out of him, but he is too slow and not clinical enough for the system Nagelsmann wants his team to play. When Havertz gets the ball, play slows down around him. His touch is average, and he takes too long to release the ball. He is not built for fast, free flowing football. Nick Woltemade, for all his struggles at Newcastle, looked a far better fit after coming on. Woltemade was not perfect, but he showed genuine holdup play and linked better with his teammates.’
Nick Woltemade will, like Malick Thiaw, likely start on Monday against Ghana. Big Nick is already sure to go to the World Cup finals but now also has the opportunity to be seen as first choice when they get there.
As for Newcastle United, I think when Premier League action returns, we will see Nick Woltemade restored up front and Anthony Gordon on the left, Barnes or Elanga on the right.
Gordon has done really well through the middle but Big Nick in a deeper role hasn’t been a similar success.
With the players available as United have now, I think Nick Woltemade did well early in the season up front and we know Gordon is excellent on the left. So whilst Eddie Howe wanted that front trio full of pace in recent months, I think now playing once a week in the Premier League the United boss will switch back to Big Nick as centre-forward.
This is the March 2026 international schedule for Newcastle United players:
Wednesday 25 March
Bermuda 0 DR Congo 2 (Friendly)
Yoane Wissa scoring a 51st minute penalty, as DR Congo warm up for their all or nothing World Cup play-off match.
Thursday 26 March
Italy 2 Northern Ireland 0
A brilliant man of the match performance from Sandro Tonali, as he scored a quality volley to put Italy ahead in this World Cup play-off semi-final, then getting an assist for Moise Kean as his goal made sure of progress to a World Cup play-off final next Tuesday against Bosnia-Herzegovina.
Denmark 4 North Macedonia 0
William Osula an unused sub as the Danes progress to the World Cup play-off finals, set to face Czech Republic on Tuesday.
Ukraine 1 Sweden 3
Anthony Elanga subbed off in added time having helped Sweden progress to the World Cup play-off finals, they will face Poland on Tuesday.
Friday 27 March
England 1 Uruguay 1
Tino Livramento one of only two outfield players to play the full game he did okay. Aaron Ramsdale an unused sub.
Lewis Hall got the last 20 minutes and did okay, like Tino. Whilst Harvey Barnes also got 20 minutes and was pretty much anonymous, apart from cheated out of his first England goal when he volleyed home a poor Palmer corner, only for Ben White to score instead when tapping it in from a few inches out.
Switzerland 3 Germany 4
Nick Woltemade came on after 63 minutes when Switzerland led 3-2, helping Germany to a 4-3 win. Big Nick playing well when replacing Kai Havertz who had been so poor. Wirtz man of the match though with two assists and two goals. Malick Thiaw an unused sub but not a bad night for him either, as Germany’s central defenders had an atrocious night. The Newcastle pair set to get their chance to start on Monday against Ghana.
Monday 30 March
Germany (Nick Woltemade, Malick Thiaw) v Ghana (Friendly)
Tuesday 31 March
Bosnia-Herzegovina v Italy (Sandro Tonali) World Cup play-off final
Czech Republic v Denmark (Will Osula) World Cup play-off final
Poland v Sweden (Anthony Elanga) World Cup play-off final
New Caledonia or Jamaica v DR Congo (Yoane Wissa) World Cup play-off final
England (Dan Burn, Harvey Barnes, Anthony Gordon, Lewis Hall, Tino Livramento, Aaron Ramsdale) v Japan (Friendly)