By Oliver Trust

BERLIN, Oct. 12 (Xinhua) -- Ahead of its 2026 World Cup qualifier against Northern Ireland on Monday, Germany faces a striker shortage that is testing the depth of the 2014 FIFA World Cup champion.

While Newcastle's Nick Woltemade, Frankfurt's Jonathan Burkardt and Dortmund's Maximilian Beier continue to search for their first national team goals, a series of injuries and setbacks have limited coach Julian Nagelsmann's options.

"We don't always have a top squad to our disposal," the German coach said, as Niclas Fullkrug, Kai Havertz, Jamal Musiala, Tim Kleindienst and Deniz Undav remain sidelined ahead of the trip to Belfast.

Twenty-eight of the 51 goals Germany has scored in Nagelsmann's 25 games in charge came from the missing forwards. That three of the four goals in the recent win over Luxembourg came from set pieces tells its own story, as Germany's golden era of box-striker dominance appears to be fading. All three goals were scored by defenders.

Kleindienst was the last traditional striker to score for Germany, finding the net in a 3-3 draw with Italy in March 2025.

Once known as a country of prolific strikers -- from Miroslav Klose, Rudi Voller and Jurgen Klinsmann to Gerd Muller and Karl-Heinz Rummenigge -- Germany now appears caught in a rare drought.

Woltemade has been in form for Newcastle with four goals in six club matches, but the 23-year-old has yet to score in five appearances for the national team. Burkardt (three) and Beier (four) have also been productive at club level but remain goalless internationally.

"Germany is meeting its limits," newspaper Welt wrote, while tabloid Bild called the situation a fatal shortage of a "goal puncher."

Nagelsmann's hopes now rest on the shoulders of available options such as Serge Gnabry -- the only forward currently in form -- Brentford's Kevin Schade and Dortmund's Karim Adeyemi, alongside Woltemade, Burkardt and Beier.

Despite scoring a free-kick goal against Northern Ireland in September, Liverpool forward Florian Wirtz has yet to rediscover his rhythm following his move from Bayer Leverkusen.

Nagelsmann urged patience with both Wirtz and Woltemade. "I am sure it will happen soon; he will score," the German coach said of the Newcastle striker.

German record international Lothar Matthaus commented, "he is not Messi, he is not Ronaldo, he is a 23-year-old Woltemade, still a young player without extensive experience."

Former Liverpool coach Jurgen Klopp also backed Wirtz, saying he had "exceptional quality and that soon will be visible in all his games for the Reds."

Ahead of the 2026 World Cup, Nagelsmann remains cautious but optimistic, saying he will continue to rely on the "goal hunger" of his entire squad. ■