Mario Gotze returns as Germany announce squad for FIFA World Cup 2022

Germany manager Hansi Flick announced their squad for the upcoming FIFA World Cup in Qatar on Thursday. He has announced a young squad, with only Thomas Muller, Mario Gotze and Manuel Neuer remaining from the 2014 World Cup winning side.

Gotze, who scored the winning goal in the final of that 2014 World Cup, is making a return to the side after an extended absence of five years.

Other notable names in the squad are 17-year-old Youssoufa Moukoko, who is yet to make an appearance for the senior side, and Jamal Musiala, who plays for Bayern Munich. Both youngsters are set to play the first World Cup for their country.

Ilkay Gundogan, Joshua Kimmich and Leon Goretzka are expected to team up in the midfield whereas the likes of Antonio Rudiger, Niklas Sule and Lukas Klostermann will be seen handling the backline.

Big names like Marco Reus and Mats Hummels have missed out on the squad. The former is injured whereas the latter has been overlooked in favour of Southampton defender Armell Bella Kotchap.

Manuel Neuer will be the first-choice goalkeeper for them again whereas Marc Andre-ter Stegen and Kevin Trapp will be the backups once again.

Germany’s forward lines will be driven by Leroy Sane and Swrge Gnabry from the wings. They lack a traditional number nine and hence, Thomas Muller us expected to fill in that position. Timo Werner is also absent from the squad as he is out injured. But Kai Havertz could also be seen playing in the middle, whereas Moukouko and Musiala are the other options at Flick’s disposal.

Die Mannschaft will be kicking off their World Cup campaign against Japan on November 23, followed by group games against Spain and Costa Rica.

Germany World Cup Squad

Goalkeepers: Manuel Neuer (Bayern Munich), Marc-André ter Stegen (Barcelona), Kevin Trapp (Eintracht Frankfurt)

Defenders: Thilo Kehrer (West Ham), David Raum (Leipzig), Antonio Rüdiger (Real Madrid), Niklas Süle (Borussia Dortmund), Matthias Ginter (Freiburg), Nico Schlotterbeck (Borussia Dortmund), Lukas Klostermann (Leipzig), Christian Günter (Freiburg), Armell Bella Kotchap (Southampton)

Midfielders: Joshua Kimmich (Bayern Munich), Leon Goretzka (Bayern Munich), Jamal Musiala (Bayern Munich), Thomas Müller (Bayern Munich), İlkay Gündoğan (Manchester City), Jonas Hofmann (Borussia Mönchengladbach), Mario Götze (Eintracht Frankfurt), Julian Brandt (Borussia Dortmund), Kai Havertz (Chelsea)

Forwards: Serge Gnabry (Bayern Munich), Leroy Sané (Bayern Munich), Karim Adeyemi (Borussia Dortmund), Niclas Füllkrug (Werder Bremen), Youssoufa Moukoko (Borussia Dortmund)