By Francesca Hangeior
Germany coach Julian Nagelsmann ignored the late claims of Borussia Dortmund’s Mats Hummels and Julian Brandt when he named a largely unchanged squad for the 2024 Euros on Thursday.
2014 World Cup-winner Hummels and midfielder Brandt have been key figures in Dortmund’s run to the Champions League final, where they will face Real Madrid, but Nagelsmann preferred to stick with the team that beat France and the Netherlands in March.
Bayern Munich’s Leon Goretzka was also left out of the hosts’ 27-man squad — it will be reduced to 26 after the June friendlies against Ukraine and Greece while his teammate Serge Gnabry was not considered because of injury.
Eliminated at the group stage in the past two World Cups and at the last 16 at Euro 2021, Germany had a poor 2023, winning just three of 11 games which cost then coach Hansi Flick his job.
After losses against Turkey and Austria to end 2023, Nagelsmann named a heavily changed squad for the March friendlies, including bringing in players from Bundesliga champions Bayer Leverkusen and in-form Stuttgart.
Germany impressed as a result with wins over 2022 World Cup finalists France and the Dutch.
Nagelsmann has now brought in Dortmund defender Nico Schlotterbeck and Stuttgart goalkeeper Alex Nuebel for Heidenheim’s Jan-Niklas Beste and injured Fulham ‘keeper Bernd Leno.
Bayern’s Leroy Sane, who missed the March friendlies through injury, has also been added to the squad.
The announcement, made in downtown Berlin near the famous Brandenberg Gate, included three members of Germany’s 2014 World Cup winners from Brazil: goalkeeper Manuel Neuer, forward Thomas Mueller and midfielder Toni Kroos.
Barcelona midfielder Ilkay Gundogan will remain captain despite Neuer’s return, which Nagelsmann had already confirmed prior to the announcement.
The German FA had already announced 18 of the squad on a one-by-one basis via social media and other sources, reducing the speculation over the final make-up.