Germany will deploy two separate squads across four Nations League fixtures after coach Jurgen Klopp unveiled a 44-player roster, a move that widens selection options ahead of a congested autumn schedule.
Klopp handed 16 players their first senior call-ups in the list released on Thursday and split the group by fixture. The first cohort is available for the matches against the Netherlands in Amsterdam on September 24 and at home to Greece in Augsburg on September 27. The second cohort will cover the games versus Serbia in Munich on October 1 and against Greece in Thessaloniki on October 4.
The expanded roster sits alongside the established match-day rule that limits teams to 20 outfield players and three goalkeepers, but Klopp has chosen a broader pool to manage rotation and injuries during the four fixtures. The selection reflects a transition era for the national team following Klopp's appointment in July, after Germany's exit at the last-32 stage of the 2026 World Cup under Julian Nagelsmann.
Several notable absences underline that transition. Leroy Sane, Deniz Undav, Leon Goretzka and goalkeeper Oliver Baumann were left out of the squad, while veterans Manuel Neuer and Antonio Rudiger have retired from international football. Marc-Andre ter Stegen is listed as Germany's first-choice goalkeeper; ter Stegen moved from Barcelona to Ajax on a season-long loan this summer after a spell of injuries that limited him to 12 competitive matches over the past two years.
Joshua Kimmich retains the captain's armband and brings experience to the group, with 114 caps. The 31-year-old is set to play in central midfield for Germany, mirroring his club position. German media also reported that Undav will be given time off to recover from an Achilles tendon injury.
The wider pool mixes established internationals and fresh faces. Among the potential debutants are Eintracht Frankfurt forward Younes Ebnoutalib, Stuttgart defender Finn Jeltsch, Brentford midfielder Vitaly Janelt and Celtic midfielder Mika Baur. The squads also include players such as Finn Dahmen, Alexander Nuebel, Nico Schlotterbeck, Jonathan Tah, Serge Gnabry, Jamal Musiala and Kai Havertz.
Klopp's selection strategy hands the new coach flexibility to rotate personnel across fixtures while assessing newcomers in competitive matches. The immediate test for the enlarged group will be how quickly the new call-ups adapt and whether the changes to personnel and roles, notably Kimmich's move into midfield and ter Stegen's return to regular action, deliver stability ahead of the Nations League campaign.
