Munich (AP) – Youth forward Youssoufa Moukoko? Classic filling carafe nine Niclas? Another tournament comeback for the eternal Mats Hummels? Maybe a second Khedira?
Or does Hansi Flick end up letting Rio goal hero Mario Götze write another World Cup chapter after five years without an international match in Qatar? During the speculation about the national coach’s XXL provisional squad for the World Cup, kept secret by the DFB, more and more names were leaked two weeks before the final nomination.
In addition to the numerous established regulars such as Joshua Kimmich or Antonio Rüdiger, the Flick list of up to 55 players includes well-known shadow men and wobbly injured candidates, as well as some surprise candidates and numerous strikes. Before reporting the extended pool of players to the FIFA world governing body last Friday, Flick and his coaching staff went into solitary confinement to chart all eventualities. “It’s about if-then strategies,” Flick recently said of the selection process: “What qualities do we need a player to have in certain situations?”
The “picture” has now posted 44 player names who should “definitely” be on the DFB list. In fact, there are probably more. For example, the paper did not list Southampton FC’s U21 national team player Armel Bella Kotchap, who recently made his debut in a 3-3 victory over England in the Nations League and was highly praised by Flick, in the defense section.
“I will not publish an official list”
“We will not publish an official list,” said DFB director Oliver Bierhoff. The Netherlands, for example, had released the 39 World Cup nominees of Bond coach Louis van Gaal. Flick just wants to announce the names of the 26-player maximum on November 10, which will also lead to the World Cup four days later. The 57-year-old promised a surprise or two. It could also be “we’re taking a player with us for a while”.
When Flick said it, it was the center forward’s problematic position. Moukoko, the Dortmund youngster, who has already scored several special goals at BVB this season and appreciates his potential Flick, also in view of the home European Championship in 2024. By the way, Moukoko will be the opening day of the UEFA Cup. World. age game Flick could also use “the other three options”, which he has thanks to the rise of the World Cup squad to 26 players, to name Niclas Füllkrug (29) in addition to Moukoko.
With eight goals, the Bremen player tops the Bundesliga top scorers table and brings with him the skills of a classic nine that World Cup strikers like Timo Werner, Kai Havertz, Thomas Müller or Serge Gnabry don’t have. “What Füllkrug does makes sense,” Flick said recently after seeing the striker live, who had yet to prove his shooting prowess on the international stage. In addition to “a great run, Füllkrug could perhaps give his team an element that we don’t have,” Flick said.
With Hummels (33) and Götze (30), the DFB coach would know what he was getting, even if Flick had not yet nominated them for international matches during his tenure. Flick was Joachim Löw’s assistant during the 2014 World Cup triumph in Brazil, for which Götze scored with his winning goal in the final against Argentina. At the time there was also Gladbacher Christoph Kramer (31), who now appears on Flick’s XXL list, but should probably travel to Qatar as a ZDF expert.
Prepared for all parts of the team
Flick has prepared for all sides of the squad, although professionals such as Robin Knoche and Rani Khedira of Bundesliga 1 leaders. FC Union Berlin should only receive a personal ticket to the World Cup in the event of an extreme staff shortage. Rani Khedira is the younger brother of 2014 world champion Sami Khedira. At the moment there are some wobbly injured candidates such as Gladbach’s Jonas Hofmann, Leipzig’s Lukas Klostermann or Dortmund’s Marco Reus, who has foot problems again after a comeback probably too soon. Flick also noted young Leverkusen star Florian Wirtz (cruciate ligament rupture) on his World Cup slip.
Flick wants to observe what his candidates offer him until the last moment. “I expect development from every player. We have not yet arrived to be able to play at the highest level when it comes to World Cup knockout matches, round of 16, quarter-finals, semi-finals, finals, ”said the national team manager recently.
Possible candidates for the World Cup
Setting up:
Goals: Manuel Neuer (FC Bayern Munich), Marc-André ter Stegen (FC Barcelona), Kevin Trapp (Eintracht Frankfurt)
Defense: David Raum (RB Leipzig), Antonio Rüdiger (Real Madrid), Niklas Süle (Borussia Dortmund), Matthias Ginter (SC Freiburg), Nico Schlotterbeck (Borussia Dortmund), Thilo Kehrer (West Ham United)
Midfielder: Joshua Kimmich (FC Bayern Munich), Leon Goretzka (FC Bayern Munich), Ilkay Gündogan (Manchester City), Jamal Musiala (FC Bayern Munich), Serge Gnabry (FC Bayern Munich), Leroy Sané (FC Bayern Munich), Thomas Müller (Bayern Munich).
There, if fit: Marco Reus (Borussia Dortmund), Jonas Hofmann (Borussia Mönchengladbach)
Forward: Timo Werner (RB Leipzig), Kai Havertz (Chelsea)
Probably in the unpublished XXL list of the DFB:
Tor: Bernd Leno (FC Fulham), Oliver Baumann (TSG 1899 Hoffenheim)
Defense: Benjamin Henrichs (RB Leipzig), Robin Gosens (Inter), Mats Hummels (Borussia Dortmund), Robin Koch (Leeds United), Lukas Klostermann (RB Leipzig), Robin Knoche (1. FC Union Berlin), Christian Günter (SC Freiburg), Jonathan Tah (Bayer Leverkusen), Luca Netz (Borussia Monchengladbach), Armel Bella Kotchap (FC Southampton)
Midfielders: Florian Wirtz (Bayer Leverkusen), Christoph Kramer (Borussia Mönchengladbach), Mario Götze (Eintracht Frankfurt), Julian Brandt (Borussia Dortmund), Maximilian Arnold (VfL Wolfsburg), Julian Weigl (Borussia Mönchengladbach), Emre Can (Borussia Dortmund) . , Anton Stach (Mainz), Rani Khedira (1. FC Union Berlin)
Attack: Karim Adeyemi (Borussia Dortmund), Lukas Nmecha (VfL Wolfsburg), Niclas Fullkrug (Werder Bremen), Youssoufa Moukoko (Borussia Dortmund)
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