Klopp shatters expectations with a 44-man squad for Germany
Jürgen Klopp, newly appointed manager of Germany, surprised by presenting his first squad with 44 players, although the announced total rises to 45, for the Nations League matches that the Mannschaft will play next week. The fixtures will be against the Netherlands on September 24 and Greece on the 27.
Two squads for four matches
German media had been speculating possible surprises for days, but no one anticipated such a large squad. The first list will face the Netherlands (24/09) and Greece (27/09), while the second will be aimed at Serbia (1/10) and Greece again (4/10) in Thessaloniki. Klopp has split the 44 names into two squads to observe as many talents in action as possible.
“I enjoyed putting together this squad. We have found a lot of talent. I want to meet as many players as possible. In the last four weeks I traveled a lot and saw many players. I was away from the Bundesliga for 11 years and it is a huge difference to see the players live,” Klopp told journalists, under a tricolour cap that bore the slogan “One of 83 million.” The photo of the moment was taken by Michael Probst.
Youngsters and veterans
Among the newly added players stands right‑back Felix Keidel, 23, who was promoted with Elversberg to the Bundesliga last season and has only played three matches in the top tier. Also listed is forward Younes Ebnoutalib of Eintracht Frankfurt, who has barely featured in a handful of elite games. Both will share the dressing room with established figures such as Marc‑André ter Stegen, Kai Havertz, Jamal Musiala, Joshua Kimmich and Karim Adeyemi.
The starting goalkeeper will be Marc‑André ter Stegen and the captain Joshua Kimmich, who will return to the midfield, a position he occupied at Bayern Munich after having been a full‑back under Nagelsmann.
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Klopp’s philosophy
“A team needs stability and a backbone. And once that backbone is solidified, you can afford to be creative and a little crazy,” the new manager said, emphasizing the importance of combining experience and freshness. Klopp’s vision is based on watching players live, something he could not do during his 11 years away from the Bundesliga.
Klopp takes the role after Julian Nagelsmann’s resignation, who left the post after Germany’s elimination in the World Cup round of 16 by Paraguay (1‑1, 4‑2 on penalties). The new coach aims to provide continuity and refresh the national squad.
Among the 16 new call‑ups are four players from Freiburg, finalists of the previous Europa League edition and Bundesliga leaders after three rounds. In addition, nine selected players have yet to debut with the senior team. The absences of Oliver Baumann, Deniz Undav, Leon Goretzka and Leroy Sané also stand out.
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The list includes two Serie A players: defender Yann‑Aurel Bisseck of Inter Milan and forward Nick Woltemade of Juventus Turin. Likewise, defender Nico Schlotterbeck of Borussia Dortmund appears among the selections, strengthening the German defence with international experience.