Germany’s World Cup squad is full of surprises

We had known for some time that Die Nationalmannschaft manager Hansi Flick would make a decision on Thursday, but there were always going to be happy stories for some and unpleasant surprises for others.

Flick has chosen two in-form players at different ends of the age spectrum who weren't necessarily on the radar a few months ago because Germany has been hunting for a top-echelon offensive solution for several years. For the most amazing sports betting casinos look more on our website pages!

Niclas Fullkrug, 29, lacks the glitzy appearance of a modern footballer but has a penchant for scoring goals. It extends beyond the 10 goals he has scored for Werder Bremen this season, five of which came in the final five minutes of games and three of which were aerial in nature. Despite the fact that Fullkrug has no experience playing for his country, he is a seasoned professional, a line leader, a focal point, and, quite frankly, the kind of gritty veteran player Germany will need in certain World Cup situations.

Youssoufa Moukoko, 17, of Borussia Dortmund, was not a lock to make the team when the season began, much like Fullkrug. However, the young talent has timed his form precisely in hopes of receiving the nod from Flick. His brilliant back-to-back goals in last week's 2-0 victory over VfL Bochum helped his cause, and there have been other memorable moments in the Bundesliga, including the game-winning goal in the Revierderby and the pivotal goal that put Dortmund back in the running in the 2-2 draw with Bayern Munich.

The verdict in their favor was made more certain by recent injuries to Timo Werner and Lukas Nmecha.

You would have to be a philistine to ignore the inclusion of Mario Gotze, the player whose goal in the 2014 World Cup final in Rio de Janeiro cemented his place in German football mythology. Gotze has been absent from international competition for Germany for the past five years due to ongoing health issues.

His confidence was boosted by a stint at PSV Eindhoven in the Netherlands, but the summer transfer to Europa League champions Eintracht Frankfurt is what has really energized the 30-year-old. Flick lauded Gotze's outstanding demeanor and emphasized his talent as well as his capacity to play several games in quick succession this season. Frankfurt hired Gotze to aid in breaking down deep-sitting, defensive-minded opponents.

Obviously, Marco Reus would have made the team if he had been successful in his fight against time to get healthy. The most ill-fated high-profile German footballer of his generation, Reus missed important competitions in 2014, 2016, 2021, and now 2022.

Flick also gave a thorough explanation of the Florian Wirtz incident. The Bayer Leverkusen prodigy has only recently returned to training after missing most of the year due to an ACL tear, and staying with the Werkself will help him much more as he gets ready for the January restart. It was a sensible choice all around since rushing him back would have been foolish. Regarding seasoned defender Mats Hummels, opinions are divided. Despite having a fantastic season at Dortmund, the 33-year-old was not selected. The coaching staff, according to Flick, generally believes in keeping an eye on the future. It's important to keep in mind that Germany will host Euro 2024 and is anticipated to be a contender for the title. Younger players who participate in tournaments now could benefit greatly in the future. 18Bet is another amazing casino that our website offers! 

According to Flick, Antonio Rudiger is in charge of the defense, and Germany has Nico Schlotterbeck, a BVB player who possesses both speed and tenacity. Flick disputed the idea that Hummels' propensity to be blunt in his criticism of subpar team efforts played any role. It's a significant decision, but Hummels has slowed down and was supposed to be the fifth-choice center defense. It doesn't make sense to have such a senior figure in such a lowly position.

There are a number of other strong candidates for that position, but the inclusion of Lukas Klostermann of RB Leipzig, who hasn't played since matchday 1 due to injury, and Armel Bella-Kotchap of Southampton can both be seen as surprises. Due to Germany's continued relative inferiority at right-back, Klostermann's adaptability has been the deciding factor in this match. It would also be beneficial that Niklas Sule just played there for BVB.

There were no surprises in goalkeeping, where Frankfurt's Kevin Trapp joined Marc-Andre ter Stegen and Manuel Neuer. Flick claimed that while other nations have chosen four keepers, he believes three are adequate in this situation.

Karim Adeyemi of Dortmund is the one player who can be a wild card for Germany. According to Flick, he is a “weapon” because of his speed and finishing prowess, as well as his ability to cut onto his left foot from the right flank.

Thomas Muller of Bayern will play a significant role both on and off the field at his fourth World Cup, and although he is presently on the injured list, Flick expects to have him available for the pre-tournament friendly against Oman. On Tuesday, Germany's Rekordmeister Bayern easily defeated Werder Bremen 6-1 without Muller, with Serge Gnabry's hat trick against one of his former teams serving as the game's highlight. As a result of Union Berlin twice surrendering the advantage against FC Augsburg and being forced to settle for a 2-2 draw, Bayern will undoubtedly enter the Winterpause as the league's top team.

Following Dortmund's 2-0 loss at VfL Wolfsburg, in-form Leipzig, which defeated third-placed SC Freiburg 3-1, has passed them on goal differential. After a successful offensive display against TSG Hoffenheim, Frankfurt is still in fourth place. Gotze, Randal Kolo Muani, and especially the irresistible Jesper Lindstrom all made noteworthy contributions.

After three more days of Bundesliga action, the seemingly never-ending activity will come to an end on Sunday. Above all else, Flick must pray that none of his 26-person team sustains an injury this weekend.