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Bundestrainer Jürgen Klopp has selected a 24-man squad for Germany’s upcoming Nations League fixtures, marking the return of veteran striker Niclas Füllkrug and the surprise inclusion of 17-year-old Borussia Mönchengladbach talent Wael Mohya.
Füllkrug, the 33-year-old Werder Bremen forward, returns to the national setup after more than a year away. His last appearance for the team came under previous head coach Julian Nagelsmann during the Nations League Final Four in June 2025, and his last international goal dates back to September 2024 against Hungary, according to n-tv.de. Despite recent discussions regarding his age, Füllkrug has earned his spot through consistent club performance, recording 12 goals in 10 competitive matches for Bremen this season.
The inclusion of Wael Mohya highlights a broader shift in the squad as Klopp balances immediate team needs with long-term development. Describing the decision to call up the 17-year-old, Klopp noted that there are few players of that age currently competing in the Bundesliga, calling Mohya’s presence an “outstanding feature,” n-tv.de stated. Alongside Mohya, the roster includes several other players seeking their senior international debuts, including VfB Stuttgart defender Finn Jeltsch and RB Leipzig winger Brajan Gruda.
The squad also features a strong contingent of emerging midfield talent. Lennart Karl and Tom Bischof, both from the Unterfranken region, return to the fold. Klopp highlighted the duo’s development, noting that Karl is on a positive trajectory following his injury, while Bischof has shown high-level performance in recent club appearances, including a notable outing against Atletico Madrid, as reported by main-echo.de.
The selection process for this window proved difficult for the coaching staff, following a September period where Klopp utilized a 44-man roster split across two groups. “It was hard to make this selection because, and that is actually the good news, more players would have deserved to be here,” Klopp said.
Several players who were involved in earlier stages of Klopp’s tenure have been omitted from this group, including Nick Woltemade, Nadiem Amiri, David Raum, Karim Adeyemi, Yann Aurel Bisseck, and Jonathan Burkardt. Debutants from the September roster, including Hennes Behrens, Vitaly Janelt, Felix Keidel, and Mika Baur, were not included. Conversely, Philipp Treu and Derry Scherhant have retained their places following strong recent performances.
Klopp confirmed that Marc-André ter Stegen will serve as the number one goalkeeper for these fixtures. The team currently sits in third place in Group 2 of League A, with the upcoming matches in Belgrade and Berlin serving as critical tests for their qualification prospects, as only the top two teams in the group advance to the quarter-finals, n-tv.de noted.
🚨 Jürgen Klopp springs a surprise 🇩🇪 17-year-old Wael Mohya earns his first Germany call-up, while Niclas Füllkrug returns and Nick Woltemade misses out! Germany are fighting for a Nations League quarterfinal spot with crucial clashes against Serbia and the Netherlands ahead👀 pic.twitter.com/ntbtGG1GZ9
Goalkeepers: Alexander Nübel, Marc-André ter Stegen, Jonas Urbig
Defenders: Waldemar Anton, Nathaniel Brown, Finn Jeltsch, Maximilian Mittelstädt, Nico Schlotterbeck, Jonathan Tah, Malick Thiaw, Philipp Treu
Midfielders: Tom Bischof, Said El Mala, Brajan Gruda, Lennart Karl, Joshua Kimmich, Wael Mohya, Felix Nmecha, Aleksandar Pavlovic, Derry Scherhant, Florian Wirtz
Forwards: Younes Ebnoutalib, Niclas Füllkrug, Kai Havertz
Niclas Füllkrug trifft in der Bundesliga in Serie. Mit 33 Jahren feiert der Stürmer deshalb sein Comeback in der deutschen Nationalmannschaft. Karim Adeyemi und Nick Woltemade lässt Bundestrainer Jürgen Klopp jedoch außen vor. Link in X-Bio. pic.twitter.com/1lAW8vDJF5
Questions remain regarding the specific tactical roles for the returning Füllkrug, who is expected to serve as a backup to Kai Havertz, as Germany attempts to climb out of the third-place position in its Nations League group.