Which youngsters might feature for Jürgen Klopp's Germany?
Germany head coach Jürgen Klopp has named two squads consisting of 44 players for the upcoming UEFA Nations League fixtures in September and October, including 16 uncapped players as he looks to kickstart a new era as he takes the helm.
“We have an incredible amount of talent,” Klopp said at his official unveiling as Germany's new head coach in July. “We won the U17 World Cup and European Championship. Those players should be 20 now. Now they’ve got their driving licences, we can use them.”
When naming his first squad for September and October, he added, "We've got a few guys here who will surprise you, but we see something in the guys and want to be there for their development. Lots of talent has caught our eye - so much that some aren't even included."
So who might they be? We take a closer look...
Jonas Urbig
A changing of the guard is clearly under way in the Germany goal. Manuel Neuer has confirmed his (re)retirement from international football, while 36-year-old Oliver Baumann is not included in Klopp’s squad this time.
Although Marc-André ter Stegen has been named the immediate successor - "It will always depend on performance. The guys know that," Klopp stressed - there's the general belief that Urbig is seen as Neuer's long-term successor for both club and country.
The 23-year-old recently revealed he had held a “good conversation” with Klopp. While it is no guarantee of becoming Germany’s first-choice goalkeeper, it could be a step in that direction.
Urbig already has almost 100 competitive senior club appearances – considerable experience for a goalkeeper of his age – and has also worked alongside Neuer. Furthermore, he has represented Germany at every youth level from U17 upwards and has worn the national colours for several years. It is little surprise he is being discussed as Neuer’s possible successor.
Noah Atubolu and Finn Dahmen are two more goalkeepers uncapped at senior level who are in the squads and Klopp has said he wants to look at.
Felix Keidel
Keidel also appears to be on the fast track. The natural right-back, who has impressed in defensive midfield for Elversberg, has had his performances rewarded by a first call-up, even though he was playing for Ingolstadt in the third tier less than 18 months ago.
The 23-year-old joined Elversberg in summer 2025 and quickly established himself as a regular. He has started every Bundesliga game this season.
His versatility is a major advantage. Keidel can play across the defence, has previously operated at left-back and is now thriving in defensive midfield. He is regarded as a committed, uncompromising tackler who is also willing to get forward. He has nine goal involvements in 31 appearances for Elversberg. Germany’s problems at right-back could now work in his favour.
Philipp Treu
Treu may not be quite as young, but a first senior Germany call-up still represents another major step in the Freiburg defender’s career. The 25-year-old is yet to play for the national team.
That could soon change, particularly with Klopp confirming his intention to field Joshua Kimmich as a midfielder again. Germany are searching for a right-back and Treu has played himself into contention with a series of strong performances.
Born in Heidelberg, Treu spent time in the youth systems of Sandhausen, Kaiserslautern and RB Leipzig before moving to Freiburg in 2017. Apart from a one-year loan spell at St. Pauli, he has developed into a key player for the club and is firmly established in his position.
Saïd El Mala
After missing out on a place in Germany's FIFA World Cup 2026 squad, El Mala could soon finally get his chance to shine at international level.
The 20-year-old enjoyed an outstanding first Bundesliga season with Cologne, registering 18 goal involvements after stepping up from third-tier Viktoria Cologne. He has already proved he belongs at Bundesliga level and will now hope to take the next step.
The left winger also impressed at the U19 European Championship last year, producing eight goal involvements in four matches.
Younes Ebnoutalib
Ebnoutalib already has one international call-up to his name – albeit at youth level. He was once selected for Morocco’s U15s but did not play.
The Moroccan federation has reportedly been interested in the centre-forward again, although his first international appearance could instead come in a Germany shirt.
The Frankfurt-born 23-year-old broke through at Elversberg last season, scoring nine goals in 25 appearances. He has continued that form with the Eagles, producing four goals and two assists in his first four competitive appearances. He could now be given the chance to bring that attacking threat to the national team but will have to compete up against Kai Havertz in the first two games against the Netherlands and Greece.
Hennes Behrens
This is certainly a special moment for Hennes Behrens. Not only is it his first senior call-up. In fact, it’s the first time ever that he’ll get the chance to represent Germany at any level.
Born in Frankfurt and previously in the academies at Mainz and Darmstadt, the 21-year-old left-back eventually came through at Hoffenheim, making his senior debut in the UEFA Europa League in January 2025. He spent the second half of last season on loan at Heidenheim and started 15 out of 16 games once fit following a hamstring issue.
Instead of returning to Sinsheim, he made a permanent move to Augsburg on a five-year contract, helping the Bavarians to a near-perfect start to the season. Behrens has shown his industry up and down the left wing, averaging almost 90 intensive runs per game, winning over 12 duels per 90 minutes and also committing only one foul. Such endeavour is perhaps unsurprising, given his mother and sister are triathletes.
Bambasé Conté
According to Klopp, his call to Bambasé Conté was the funniest. “I just said it’s Jürgen Klopp and he laughed for two minutes straight,” the 59-year-old said of his conversation with the Hoffenheim forward, who hasn’t represented Germany since earning two caps at U20 level.
The 23-year-old was key in Elversberg’s promotion push last season with four goals and three assists and has now returned to boyhood club Hoffenheim to kick on. Playing either out wide or even as a central striker, he’s provided an assist on both his starts across his three Bundesliga appearances so far this season, doing enough to catch Klopp’s eye.
Yannik Engelhardt
He may only be 25, but Engelhardt has already had somewhat of a nomadic career. He came through at Werder Bremen before a spell in Freiburg’s reserves. A season at Fortuna Düsseldorf preceded a move to Como in Italy, then a loan at Borussia Mönchengladbach last year and now a permanent transfer back to Freiburg, where he’s immediately established himself as a key cog in their perfect start to the campaign.
The central midfielder has started all three Bundesliga games and both UEFA Conference League qualifiers, bagging a brace against former side Gladbach and also providing two assists across his five appearances. He’s popped up with six shots so far in the league, averages over 40 completed passes per game and has won over half his duels at the heart of midfield.
Watch: Engelhardt scored twice against Gladbach on Matchday 3
Derry Scherhant
Derry Scherhant has been another key figure in Freiburg’s superb start to the campaign. Now in his second season in the Black Forest since joining from Hertha Berlin, he’s started every game except the DFB Cup tie against Fortuna Düsseldorf, displacing Vincenzo Grifo on the left wing and at set pieces. As a result, he’s already got two assists in the Bundesliga, one in the cup and three in the Conference League qualifiers against Motherwell – plus a goal in the second leg.
Having impressed Klopp enough to make the cut for the senior squad, the 23-year-old will be hoping to see more playing time than in his two U21 appearances, where he made cameos of only one and two minutes in respective friendlies against Spain and Slovakia in March 2025.
Max Rosenfelder
Rosenfelder is the fourth potential debutant to benefit from Freiburg’s winning run. The 23-year-old centre-back was born in the city and has been on the club’s books for the last 12 years, breaking into the first team in 2024/25, sometimes also covering at full-back.
Notably, the 6’1’’ defender has been preferred to teammate and first-choice centre-back Matthias Ginter, who won the 2014 World Cup with Germany and played under Klopp at Borussia Dortmund. Rosenfelder does have international experience, though, and was Germany’s starting central defender in last summer’s U21 Euros, finishing runner-up to England, although he didn’t feature in the final.
Brajan Gruda
Gruda hasn’t been capped at senior level but was a substitute in March 2024’s friendly against Ukraine. The RB Leipzig attacker does have plenty of experience at U21 level, though, with 20 caps under Antonio Di Salvo, including five appearances at last summer’s Euros finals.
The 22-year-old has played his way back into contention for Klopp’s restart thanks to his consistent displays since joining Leipzig on loan from Brighton and Hove Albion in January before returning for another season in the summer. He returned three goals and three assists in 13 Bundesliga outings in the second half of last term and – fitness permitting – should get plenty more playing time this year under Martín Demichelis.
Finn Jeltsch
“He’s an extraordinary defender, very clear in his thinking and with great athleticism, so selecting him wasn’t a big debate,” Klopp said of his decision to hand the 20-year-old a first senior call-up. Club coach Sebastian Hoeneß clearly agrees too, having started Jeltsch in all five competitive fixtures so far this season.
The 6’2’’ centre-back has already passed 50 Stuttgart appearances since joining from Nuremberg in winter 2024/25. This term alone he’s won 29 tackles and 12 aerial duels, completing 160 passes. Jeltsch has also shown he’s equally adept at playing in a back three or four, giving Klopp extra flexibility, should he desire.
Germany travel to Amsterdam to open their Nations League Group A2 campaign against the Netherlands on 24 September, before hosting Greece in Augsburg on 27 September and Serbia in Munich on 1 October. The international window concludes with a return fixture against Greece in Thessaloniki on 4 October.
