Hosts Germany have shown off their final 26-man squad for this summer’s European Championship.
Head coach Julian Nagelsmann has excluded Bayern Munich goalkeeper Alexander Nubel, who was loaned to Stuttgart in 2023-24, from his final selection.
Nagelsmann had 26 players before Germany faced Scotland in the tournament’s opening match on June 14.
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“It has nothing to do with Alexander’s performance,” Nagelsmann said in Nubel from his team. “He has sat in very well and has shown intelligent performances in training.
“In the feedback meeting I also explained his long career at the DFB. The goalkeeper’s position can be updated if someone is injured during the tournament. This does not work for the infielders. Now the team is formed and the team too.
Real Madrid midfielder Toni Kroos will play in his first major tournament since Euro 2020 after the 34-year-old reversed his decision to retire from football.
Teenager Aleksandar Pavlovic, one of six Bayern Munich players called up, and Maximilian Beier are the only players selected.
Jamal Musiala, Manuel Neuer, Thomas Müller, Leroy Sané and Joshua Kimmich complete the Bayern squad.
However, there is no place for Bayern midfielder Leon Goretzka.
Similarly, Borussia Dortmund defender Mats Hummels is not included despite helping his team qualify for the Champions League final this season.
Hummels’ Dortmund teammates Emre Can and Karim Adeyemi were left out.
Germany open their Group A campaign against Scotland before facing Hungary and Switzerland for a place in the round of 16.
Goalkeepers: Oliver Baumann (Hoffenheim), Manuel Neuer (Bayern Munich), Marc-André ter Stegen (Barcelona)
Defenders: Waldemar Anton (Stuttgart), Benjamin Henrichs (RB Leipzig), Joshua Kimmich (Bayern Munich), Robin Koch (Eintracht Frankfurt), Maximilian Mittelstadt (Stuttgart), David Raum (RB Leipzig), Antonio Rudiger (Real Madrid), Nico Schlotterbeck (Borussia Dortmund), Jonathan Tah (Bayer Leverkusen)
Midfielders: Robert Andrich (Bayer Leverkusen), Chris Fuhrich (Stuttgart), Pascal Gross (Brighton), Ilkay Gundogan (Barcelona), Toni Kroos (Real Madrid), Jamal Musiala (Bayern Munich), Aleksandar Pavlovic (Bayern Munich), Leroy Sane (Bayern Munich), Florian Wirtz (Bayer Leverkusen)
Forwards: Maximilian Beier (Hoffenheim), Niclas Fullkrug (Borussia Dortmund), Kai Havertz (Arsenal), Thomas Muller (Bayern Munich), Deniz Undav (Stuttgart, from Brighton)
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Analysis via Sebastian Stafford-Bloor
The last break abroad was so good for Julian Nagelsmann that there will never be many surprises. In the games against France and the Netherlands, a tentative vision emerged of what this team could look like with Nagelsmann. They were fast, avant-garde, and meritocratic in their composition. RB Deutschland in style? A kind of.
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The Stuttgart elements of Chris Fuhrich, Waldemar Anton, Maximilian Mittelstadt and Deniz Undav succeeded, and rightly so. Bayern Munich teenager Aleksandar Pavlovic is also staying, and it seems that he is going at the expense of Leon Goretzka, it is also the right decision.
Pavlovic is more of the Nagelsmann “type” – he’s a normal forward passer who will be a wonderful help to Toni Kroos during the tournament.
Nico Schlotterbeck is present, but not Mats Hummels. Again, this was to be expected. Nagelsmann has said in the past that Hummels is not compatible to play a replacement role, so it was more of a team chemistry decision. Schlotterbeck has been reassuring in his recent performances in the Champions League.
The forward line continues to be the team’s weak point. However, Niclas Fullkrug has shown himself capable of scoring at the highest level. Hoffenheim’s Max Beier deserves this chance after a smart season in an average TSG team.
And Kai Havertz will start the tournament as the first (fake) No. 9, after an intriguing chemistry with Florian Wirtz and Jamal Musiala, who will play the duel for the No. 10.
Nagelsmann has also appointed 27 interim members. But we can expect 4 goalkeepers against 3 when the team is reduced and with the absence of Oliver Baumann or Alex Nubel.
(Alexandre Hassenstein/Getty Images)