German coach Joachim Löw has named his preliminary 30 man squad for this summer’s World Cup campaign, with a quartet of Premier League players making the cut.
Arsenal trio Per Mertesacker, Lukas Podolski and Mesut Ozil are all included, alongside Chelsea midfielder Andre Schurrle, to join the initial training group before the squad is trimmed to 23 by June 2nd at the latest.
Real Madrid’s Sami Khedira has been named in the provisional World Cup squad too, despite having not played since November with an ACL injury. Khedira was set to miss the tournament but has recovered just in time to take his place in the squad, with Joachim Löw giving the midfielder every chance to prove his fitness ahead of the tournament.
Miroslav Klose has been chosen amongst the 30 man squad too, with the motivation that if he scores in the tournament he will break the all time record for most total goals in World Cups – he is currently tied with Brazil’s Ronaldo, on 14.
There are no less than 23 players named in the squad from Germany’s Bundesliga, with a host of uncapped players also named amongst the preliminary line up.
Germany’s Preliminary 30 Man Squad for 2014 World Cup:
Goalkeepers: Manuel Neuer (Bayern Munich), Roman Weidenfeller (Dortmund), Ron-Robert Zieler (Hannover 96)
Defenders: Erik Durm (Dortmund), Jerome Boateng (Bayern Munich), Kevin Großkreutz (Dortmund), Benedikt Höwedes (Schalke), Mats Hummels (Dortmund), Marcell Jansen (Hamburg), Philipp Lahm (Bayern Munich), Per Mertesacker (Arsenal), Shkodran Mustafi (Sampdoria), Marcel Schmelzer (Dortmund)
Midfielders: Lars Bender (Leverkusen), Bastian Schweinsteiger (Bayern Munich), Julian Draxler (Schalke), Matthias Ginter (Freiburg), Leon Goretzka (Schalke), Mario Götze (Bayern Munich), Andre Hahn (Augsburg), Sami Khedira (Real Madrid), Toni Kroos (Bayern Munich), Max Meyer (Schalke), Thomas Müller (Bayern Munich), Mesut Özil (Arsenal), Lukas Podolski (Arsenal), Marco Reus (Dortmund), Andre Schürrle (Chelsea)
Strikers: Miroslav Klose (Lazio), Kevin Volland (Hoffenheim).
FTB Pro.