BERLIN, Aug 29: Germany coach Julian Nagelsmann has selected Stuttgart’s Angelo Stiller to his first squad since the retirements of Toni Kroos, Thomas Müller, Manuel Neuer and İlkay Gündoğan.
Stiller, a 23-year-old midfielder who helped Stuttgart to its best ever points total in the Bundesliga last season, is the only new face in the squad for Nations League games against Hungary and the Netherlands.
Kroos, Müller, Neuer and team captain Gündoğan all retired from international competition after the European Championship, where Kroos was returning for an encore after his previous retirement.Nagelsmann named a 23-man squad on Thursday, including the return of Stuttgart goalkeeper Alexander Nübel and Bayern Munich midfielder Aleksandar Pavlović after they missed Euro 2024. Real Madrid defender Antonio Rüdiger has been given a break.
Nagelsmann said he was happy with all his players at Euro 2024 — where Germany lost to eventual champion Spain — and he has to compensate for the absence of Kroos and Gündoğan in midfield.“That’s enough changes in the national team for the moment,” he said.
Barcelona goalkeeper Marc-André ter Stegen is expected to be the team’s new No. 1 following Neuer’s retirement.
Germany hosts Hungary in Düsseldorf on Sept. 7, and three days later plays the Netherlands in Amsterdam.
Germany: Goalkeepers: Marc-André ter Stegen (Barcelona), Oliver Baumann (Hoffenheim), Alexander Nübel (Stuttgart)
Defenders: Waldemar Anton (Borussia Dortmund), Benjamin Henrichs (Leipzig), Joshua Kimmich (Bayern Munich), Robin Koch (Eintracht Frankfurt), Maximilian Mittelstädt (Stuttgart), David Raum (Leipzig), Nico Schlotterbeck (Borussia Dortmund), Jonathan Tah (Bayer Leverkusen)
Midfielders: Robert Andrich (Bayer Leverkusen), Emre Can (Borussia Dortmund), Chris Führich (Stuttgart), Pascal Groß (Borussia Dortmund), Jamal Musiala (Bayern Munich), Aleksandar Pavlovic (Bayern Munich), Angelo Stiller (Stuttgart), Florian Wirtz (Bayer Leverkusen)
Forwards: Maximilian Beier (Borussia Dortmund), Niclas Füllkrug (West Ham), Kai Havertz (Arsenal), Deniz Undav (Stuttgart). (AP)
