BERLIN, Aug. 27 (Xinhua) -- Germany head coach Julian Nagelsmann announced his 23-man squad for the opening fixtures of the 2026 FIFA World Cup qualification campaign, introducing three fresh faces while leaving out some experienced names on Wednesday.
The matches against Slovakia and Northern Ireland mark the beginning of a crucial journey for the four-time world champions, as they look to secure a place in the tournament hosted by the United States, Canada and Mexico.
The newcomers to the senior national team are goalkeeper Finn Dahmen of Augsburg, defender Nnamdi Collins from Eintracht Frankfurt, and Mainz midfielder Paul Nebel. All three have previously shone in Germany's youth setups, with Collins and Nebel reaching the U21 European Championship final earlier this summer. Dahmen, meanwhile, brings valuable experience as a former U21 European champion in 2021. Their call-ups underline Nagelsmann's pledge to rejuvenate the squad following a disappointing Nations League campaign earlier this year.
Returning to the fold are Antonio Rudiger of Real Madrid, Mainz's Nadiem Amiri, and VfB Stuttgart duo Angelo Stiller and Jamie Leweling. In contrast, several familiar names will not feature this time.
Leroy Sane, who recently moved to Turkey's Galatasaray after leaving Bayern, was not included. Nagelsmann justified the omission by pointing to Sane's move abroad, noting that the winger now competes in a league "slightly below Europe's top level" and stressing that he "needs to stand out more there" to earn a recall.
Other absentees include Aleksandar Pavlovic, Robin Gosens, Thilo Kehrer and Felix Nmecha. Injuries also rule out key players such as Jamal Musiala, Kai Havertz, Nico Schlotterbeck and first-choice goalkeeper Marc-Andre ter Stegen.
Germany begin their qualification campaign away to Slovakia on Thursday night in Bratislava before hosting Northern Ireland in Cologne three days later. Historically, the "Mannschaft" hold a strong record against both opponents: eight wins from 11 encounters with Slovakia and 13 victories in 19 meetings against Northern Ireland.
Nagelsmann stressed the importance of a successful start, especially with Germany drawn in a smaller group of four. The group also includes Luxembourg, making the path on paper less challenging. Only the group winner qualifies directly, while the runner-up faces the play-offs.
"The team knows what is at stake," Nagelsmann said ahead of the squad announcement. "It is our responsibility to take the necessary steps now to build towards 2026. That means giving young players their chance and finding the right balance with our experienced core." ■
