Klopp calls up 44 players in huge first Germany squad

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Germany’s newly appointed national football team head coach Jurgen Klopp gestures as he addresses a press conference at the headquarters of the German Football Federation (DFB) in Frankfurt am Main, western Germany on July 24, 2026. Jurgen Klopp was named as the new head coach of the German men’s national football team on July 24, replacing Julian Nagelsmann who was dismissed after the team’s disappointing World Cup performance. Klopp, famed for his success during stints as coach at Borussia Dortmund and especially Liverpool, has been in talks with the DFB about trying to lead Germany — long a football powerhouse — back to prominence. (Photo by John MACDOUGALL / AFP)

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Germany coach Jurgen Klopp handed 16 players their first call-ups on Thursday as he unveiled a 44-man squad for his first camp since taking over as coach in the summer.

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Teams are restricted to naming 20 outfield players and three goalkeepers for each match but the former Liverpool manager took the unusual step of naming a larger squad.

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Klopp has split the group into two separate squads for Germany’s four upcoming Nations League fixtures.

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The first group will be available for the games fixtures against the Netherlands in Amsterdam on September 24 and at home to Greece three days later in Augsburg.

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The second group will be available for Germany’s matches against Serbia in Munich on October 1 and Greece in Thessaloniki on October 4.

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Klopp was named as the replacement for Julian Nagelsmann in July after the four-time World Cup winners were eliminated at the last-32 stage at the 2026 World Cup, their third successive early exit from the tournament.

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Leroy Sane, Deniz Undav, Leon Goretzka and goalkeeper Oliver Baumann have been left out, while veterans Manuel Neuer and Antonio Rudiger have since retired from international football.

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Marc-Andre ter Stegen will be Germany’s number one option in goal.

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Ter Stegen left Barcelona for Ajax on a season-long loan in the summer after a torrid run of injuries which restricted him to just 12 competitive matches in the past two years.

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Bayern midfielder Joshua Kimmich, the most experienced member of the squad with 114 caps, has retained the captain’s armband.

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The 31-year-old is set to move from right-back to central midfield, where he plays at club level.

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Undav, one of the few bright spots for Germany at the World Cup, has been omitted. German media reported the former Brighton forward will be given time off to recover from an Achilles tendon injury.

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Among the 16 potential debutants are Eintracht Frankfurt’s Younes Ebnoutalib, who was in the second division a season ago, along with Stuttgart defender Finn Jeltsch, Brentford midfielder Vitaly Janelt and Celtic midfielder Mika Baur.

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Squad for Netherlands and Greece games in September

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Goalkeepers: Finn Dahmen (Augsburg), Alexander Nuebel (Besiktas/TUR), Marc-Andre ter Stegen (Ajax/NED)

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Defence: Hennes Behrens (Augsburg), Yann Aurel Bisseck (Inter Milan/ITA), Nathaniel Brown (Bayern Munich), Max Rosenfelder (Freiburg), Nico Schlotterbeck (Borussia Dortmund), Jonathan Tah (Bayern Munich), Philipp Treu (Freiburg), Josha Vagnoman (Stuttgart)

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Midfield: Nadiem Amiri (Mainz), Bambase Conte (Hoffenheim), Yannik Engelhardt (Freiburg), Chris Fuehrich (Stuttgart), Serge Gnabry (Bayern Munich), Lennart Karl (Bayern Munich), Joshua Kimmich (Bayern Munich), Jamal Musiala (Bayern Munich), Felix Nmecha (Borussia Dortmund), Kevin Schade (Brentford/ENG), Anton Stach (Leeds United/ENG)

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Forwards: Younes Ebnoutalib (Eintracht Frankfurt), Kai Havertz (Arsenal)

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Squad for Serbia and Greece games in October

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Goalkeepers: Noah Atubolu (Eintracht Frankfurt), Finn Dahmen (Augsburg), Jonas Urbig (Bayern Munich)

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Defence: Waldemar Anton (Borussia Dortmund), Ridle Baku (RB Leipzig), Finn Jeltsch (Stuttgart), Maximilian Mittelstaedt (Stuttgart), David Raum (RB Leipzig), Malick Thiaw (Newcastle United/ENG)

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Midfield: Karim Adeyemi (Barcelona), Mika Baur (Celtic/SCO), Tom Bischof (Bayern Munich), Said El Mala (Cologne), Brajan Gruda (RB Leipzig), Vitaly Janelt (Brentford/ENG), Felix Keidel (Elversberg), Aleksander Pavlovic (Bayern Munich), Derry Scherhant (Freiburg), Florian Wirtz (Liverpool/ENG)

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Forwards: Jonathan Burkardt (Eintracht Frankfurt), Nick Woltemade (Juventus/ITA)

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AFP

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