Julian Nagelsmann confirms Germany's Euro 2024 squad
Many places in Germany's UEFA Euro 2024 squad had already been confirmed, but Julian Nagelsmann has now announced his full preliminary 27-man squad for this summer's tournament on home soil.
UEFA confirmed early in May that squad sizes for this year’s continental competition have been extended from 23 to 26 players, of which three must be goalkeepers.
The majority of players in Nagelsmann’s team had already been announced, with the German FA (DFB) using celebrities, influencers and fans to reveal 18 names ahead of Thursday’s official announcement in Berlin. The coach then revealed nine more names for a preliminary squad of 27, meaning one name will be cut at a later date.
On 23 May, he also announced that Mainz's Brajan Gruda (19) and Borussia Mönchengladbach's Rocco Reitz (21) would take part in senior training between 26 and 31 May, while some of his core players are still on club duty in the DFB Cup and UEFA Champions League finals.
On 8 June, Nagelsmann confirmed that goalkeeper Alexander Nübel would be the player cut from the squad to make it a final 26.
On 12 June, Aleksandar Pavlović had to withdraw due to illness and was replaced by Borussia Dortmund captain Emre Can.
Watch the best of Germany's 21 Bundesliga-based players named in Julian Nagelsmann's 27-man squad for Euro 2024.
What's coming up?
Germany have two warm-up matches before the tournament as they face Ukraine in Nuremberg on 3 June before hosting Greece in Mönchengladbach on 7 June. They then kick off Euro 2024 when they take on Scotland in Munich on 14 June. Their other two group games are against Hungary in Stuttgart on 19 June and then Switzerland on 23 June in Frankfurt.
Bayern Munich and Germany legend Thomas Müller completes the 27. He has been a key player ever since making his debut in 2010 against Argentina, and his 128 appearances puts him fourth on the country's all-time list. He should move into the top three at the tournament itself, and Nagelsmann will be hoping he can contribute as we all know he can along the way.
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Musiala magic at the Euros
Bayern's mercurial playmaker will feature at his third international tournament at the age of just 21, having made his senior debut in the build-up to the delayed Euro 2020 in 2021. Musiala has 27 caps and provided assists in both friendlies in March, playing alongside Florian Wirtz as a pair of No.10s behind the striker.
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Beier to make bow?
Baumann is joined in the squad by Kraichgauer teammate Maximilian Beier, who has enjoyed a fantastic campaign. Only four players have scored more than his 15 Bundesliga goals this term, and at 21 years of age, he is clearly one for the future. He is yet to make his Germany debut, but was called up for the March international friendlies against France and the Netherlands.
World's best back-up?
Borussia Mönchengladbach youth product Marc-André ter Stegen looks set to be Germany's No.2 this summer behind Manuel Neuer. The 32-year-old has won 40 caps since his debut way back in 2012 and has a healthy trophy collection from his decade at Barcelona, having also won the Euros with Germany at U17 and U19 level.
Hoffenheim shot-stopper Oliver Baumann is one of four goalkeepers named in Nagelsmann's 27. Manuel Neuer's stranglehold on the number one shirt, as well as a depth of other goalkeepers, means Baumann is yet to make his Germany debut. However, he was first called up to the squad in 2020.
Leipzig's Benjamin Henrichs makes the cut, likely as back-up to Kimmich at right-back, but he can also provider cover across the defence and even in midfield. The 27-year-old earned the first of his 14 senior caps back in 2016 before returning to the national team fold regularly in 2023.
One of three players included in the squad who were also a part of the team that lifted the 2014 FIFA World Cup, Toni Kroos came out of international retirement earlier this year and is sure to add to his 108 Germany caps this summer. First, though, is the small matter of the UEFA Champions League final for his club Real Madrid.
Also impressive in Stuttgart's remarkable season, centre-back Waldemar Anton has made the cut. Born in Uzbekistan, the 27-year-old earned his one senior cap to date as a late sub in March's friendly against France but has featured in all but one of VfB's 33 league fixtures this season as they look to claim second place.
Bayern-owned Stuttgart goalkeeper is one player in the squad who's never before received a senior call-up. The 27-year-old has 17 caps at U21 level and has impressed this season for high-flying VfB, keeping 10 clean sheets and conceding only 36 goals in 29 Bundesliga games this season.
Nine remaining names
We're shown a video showing all 27 names for the preliminary squad, with a special reveal for all as we've seen this week. It included the remaining nine names, which are Alexander Nübel, Waldemar Anton, Benjamin Henrichs, Marc-André ter Stegen, Toni Kroos, Oliver Baumann, Maximilian Beier, Thomas Müller and Jamal Musiala. A list of 27 means one will be cut to make it a final 26.
Here's Nagelsmann
Germany's coach has taken his seat at the press conference in Berlin, first discussing his recent decision to sign a contract extension to 2026.
Who else do you think will make it into the squad?
Choose your nominees below!
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Wirtz on stage
The last of the 18 names confirmed prior to the official announcement on Thursday afternoon was Leverkusen star Florian Wirtz. The 21-year-old with 11 goals and 11 assists in the Bundesliga this season delivered a video message at rapper Nina Chuba's gig in Hamburg on Wednesday night. The attacking midfielder has 16 caps and scored his first senior goal in March's friendly win over France.
Still space for Raum
RB Leipzig left-back David Raum got his call from airline Lufthansa asking him to come to the gate at the airport for his flight to the DFB's base in Frankfurt. The 26-year-old has represented Germany 20 times before.
Captain İlkay Gündoğan's inclusion was confirmed when the DFB showed a poster of him on their Instagram stories. The 33-year-old Barcelona midfielder has 75 caps.
Stuttgart striker Deniz Undav was later revealed in the form of a tattoo as the 18-goal Brighton loanee looks to add to his one senior cap to date just before he turns 28 this summer.
Toni's kebabs
Next was Real Madrid centre-back Antonio Rüdiger, announced by Hisar Fresh Food kebab shop, which the ex-Dortmund and Stuttgart man used to frequent in his native Berlin. Free kebabs were also offered to any customers who got down there quickly. The 31-year-old has 68 caps to his name.
Joshua Kimmich was next on the list, with the actor Wolfgang Bahro, who plays character Jo Gerner on popular TV soap 'Gute Zeiten, Schlechte Zeiten', confirming the 29-year-old Bayern star will add to his 84 caps, in all likelihood as a right-back this summer.
Brighton and Hove Albion's Pascal Groß was the second of the day to be added to Nagelsmann's squad, this time via broadcaster Günther Jauch's mini-quiz on the DFB's Instagram account, asking if the next player to be called up was small (Klein), big (Groß), fat (dick) or thin (dünn). €5 to those who guessed it was the 32-year-old ex-Ingolstadt man with five caps.
Brothers Toni and Felix Kroos could well have announced that the Real Madrid midfielder was going to be in the squad, but instead the pair used their podcast 'Einfach mal luppen' to confirm that Felix's former Union Berlin teammate Robert Andrich had made the cut. The 29-year-old midfielder has helped Leverkusen to the title this season and has featured in Germany's last three friendlies to earn his first international caps.
Leroy's work of art
The final name revealed on Monday was that of Leroy Sané via a portrait of the Bayern forward in Frankfurt's Schirn art gallery. The 28-year-old has 13 goals from 59 caps for Germany but has been managing his workload at the end of this season due to a pelvis issue.
Maximilian Mittelstädt was the ninth confirmation, as revealed by Peter Schilling, whose song 'Major Tom' is now the tune played when Germany score a goal and was first heard when Stuttgart's left-back struck in the 2-1 win over the Netherlands in March. That game was the second of two senior caps for the 27-year-old.
Calcio Kai
Arsenal's Kai Havertz was next to be announced via the Calcio Berlin podcast. The 24-year-old former Leverkusen starlet has 44 senior caps since making his debut as a 19-year-old in September 2018.
Eintracht Frankfurt central defender Robin Koch was then revealed by YouTubers Dennis and Benni Wolter from World Wide Wohnzimmer. The 27-year-old earned the first of his eight caps back in October 2019 and was part of the squad that competed at Euro 2020. He was called up for March's friendlies but hasn't actually appeared for Germany since June 2021.
A baked Führich
Next up was VfB Stuttgart winger Chris Führich, revealed on a bag from a bakery in Nagold in the Black Forest with the header "Chris Führich for Germany!". The 26-year-old has eight goals and seven assists in the Bundesliga this season, earning the first of three international caps against the USA last October.
Tuesday's first announcement came bright and early via radio show 1Live, as Dortmund striker Niclas Füllkrug called in to confirm he will be in action this summer. The 31-year-old has 12 Bundesliga goals this season and only made his senior international debut in the run-up to the 2022 World Cup. He since has 11 goals from 15 caps.
Pavlović club teammate Manuel Neuer was the next name revealed by German influencer Chiara, a roofer who carved the number one out of a roof slate. The 38-year-old has 117 caps and is set for his eighth tournament at senior level. He is expected to be first choice for Nagelsmann.
Pavlović on the news
The third player into the squad was Bayern Munich midfielder Aleksandar Pavlović after an announcement on Monday evening via TV channel RTL. The 20-year-old is yet to be capped at senior level but was called up for March's friendlies, only to withdraw due to tonsilitis.
Tah and Grandma Lotti
The first name to be revealed on Monday was that of Jonathan Tah, whose face was printed onto a cake given to 93-year-old 'Oma Lotti' by her carer. The 28-year-old Bayer Leverkusen centre-back has 23 caps for Germany and has been the rock at the back for the Werkself's 50-game unbeaten run this season.
The public first became aware of the DFB's approach to this squad announcement on Sunday evening when it was leaked to the media that Borussia Dortmund's Nico Schlotterbeck had been called up, with the FA confirming it via their Instagram. The 24-year-old has 11 caps since his senior debut in 2022.
Who will represent Germany this summer?
Up to 26 players will be given the chance to represent host nation Germany at this summer's Euro 2024 tournament. The full squad will be officially unveiled in Berlin at 1pm CEST on Thursday by head coach Julian Nagelsmann, but the German FA (DFB) have been providing some build-up before then by announcing individual names throughout the week via various means, such as TV news bulletins, radio shows, podcasts, influencers and even local bakery shops. Find out who's got the nod as each name is revealed...
