Germany announces Provisional World Cup Squad

Germany announces Provisional World Cup Squad

Germany manager Joachim Löw has
announced a preliminary 30-man squad for
next month’s World Cup.
The biggest name to be omitted was
Fiorentina striker Mario Gomez, who having
suffered a lengthy lay-off to injury, has only
featured for 280 minutes since September last
year.
Despite him undoubted talent in front of goal,
Löw said he could not pick the striker after
such an absence, and acknowledged that he
would have liked to have the proven goal-
scorer in his squad.
"I really wish for the team that Mario Gomez
had been fit and that he had played in the last
few months," said the Germany coach.
Germany will play Poland in a friendly next
week, before the squad is cut down to the 23
members required for the World showpiece.
All nations participating at this year’s World
Cup have until 2 June to announce their final
squads.
Germany’s preliminary World Cup squad:
Goalkeepers: Manuel Neuer (Bayern Munich),
Roman Weidenfeller (Borussia Dortmund) and
Ron-Robert Zieler (Hannover)
Defenders: Erik Durm (Borussia Dortmund),
Jerome Boateng (Bayern Munich), Kevin
Grosskreutz (Borussia Dortmund), Benedikt
Howedes (Schalke), Mats Hummels (Borussia
Dortmund), Marcell Jansen (Hamburg),
Philipp Lahm (Bayern Munich), Per
Mertesacker (Arsenal), Shkodran Mustafi
(Sampdoria), Marcel Schmelzer (Borussia
Dortmund).
Midfielders: Lars Bender (Bayer Leverkusen),
Julian Draxler (Schalke), Matthias Ginter
(Freiburg), Leon Goretzka (Schalke), Mario
Gotze (Bayern Munich), Andre Hahn
(Augsburg), Sami Khedira (Real Madrid), Toni
Kroos (Bayern Munich), Max Meyer (Schalke),
Thomas Müller (Bayern Munich), Mesut Ozil
(Arsenal), Marco Reus (Borussia Dortmund).
Forwards: Lukas Podolski (Arsenal), Andre
Schurrle (Chelsea), Miroslav Klose (Lazio),
Kevin Volland (Hoffenheim).