Klopp calls up 44 players in huge first Germany squad

Germany head coach Jurgen Klopp has named 44 players across two squads for the opening four fixtures of the UEFA Nations League, handing first senior call-ups to 11 newcomers as he unveiled his maiden selection at the DFB Campus in Frankfurt on Thursday.

The unusual arrangement comes as FIFA introduces a 16-day, four-match international window in late September and early October starting in 2026, replacing the previously separate September and October windows. A group of 24 players will assemble first, with the other 20 joining after the second game as most of the original selection return to their clubs.

Karim Adeyemi (L) of Germany vies with Lucas Hernandez of France during the UEFA Nations League A third-place match between Germany and France in Stuttgart, Germany, June 8, 2025. (Photo by Philippe Ruiz/Xinhua)

Among the first-time call-ups are Augsburg defender Hennes Behrens, Hoffenheim's Bambase Conte and Frankfurt forward Younes Ebnoutalib. Freiburg supplies four newcomers in Max Rosenfelder, Philipp Treu, Yannik Engelhardt and Derry Scherhant, while Stuttgart's Finn Jeltsch, a U17 world and European champion, Brentford's Vitaly Janelt, a U21 European champion, Elversberg's Felix Keidel and Celtic's Mika Baur complete the group.

In total, 16 of the 44 players are yet to make a senior appearance for Germany. In goal, Klopp has turned to Marc-Andre ter Stegen following Manuel Neuer's retirement. The Ajax Amsterdam goalkeeper, who was not part of Germany's World Cup squad, is playing regularly again, with Klopp naming him his No. 1 "for the moment." Stuttgart forward Deniz Undav, Hoffenheim goalkeeper Oliver Baumann and Galatasaray winger Leroy Sane were among those left out.

Alongside Ter Stegen, Finn Dahmen, Yann Aurel Bisseck, Josha Vagnoman, Anton Stach, Chris Fuhrich, Kevin Schade and Serge Gnabry return to the squad after missing the World Cup. Noah Atubolu, Jonathan Burkardt, Maximilian Mittelstadt, Ridle Baku, Brajan Gruda, Said El Mala, Tom Bischof and Karim Adeyemi will join for the second set of matches.

The players convene on Monday in Herzogenaurach before travelling to Amsterdam to face the Netherlands on September 24. Germany will host Greece in Augsburg three days later, Serbia in Munich on October 1 and Greece again in Thessaloniki on October 4.

Germany squads in full:

Squad 1 (Netherlands, Greece)

Goalkeepers: Finn Dahmen (Augsburg), Alexander Nubel (Besiktas), Marc-Andre ter Stegen (Ajax Amsterdam)

Defenders: Hennes Behrens (Augsburg), Yann Aurel Bisseck (Inter Milan), Nathaniel Brown (Bayern Munich), Max Rosenfelder (Freiburg), Nico Schlotterbeck (Dortmund), Jonathan Tah (Bayern Munich), Philipp Treu (Freiburg), Josha Vagnoman (Stuttgart)

Midfielders: Nadiem Amiri (Mainz), Bambase Conte (Hoffenheim), Yannik Engelhardt (Freiburg), Chris Fuhrich (Stuttgart), Serge Gnabry (Bayern Munich), Lennart Karl (Bayern Munich), Joshua Kimmich (Bayern Munich), Jamal Musiala (Bayern Munich), Felix Nmecha (Dortmund), Kevin Schade (Brentford), Anton Stach (Leeds United)

Forwards: Younes Ebnoutalib (Frankfurt), Kai Havertz (Arsenal)

Squad 2 (Serbia, Greece)

Goalkeepers: Noah Atubolu (Frankfurt), Finn Dahmen (Augsburg), Jonas Urbig (Bayern Munich)

Defenders: Waldemar Anton (Dortmund), Ridle Baku (Leipzig), Finn Jeltsch (Stuttgart), Maximilian Mittelstadt (Stuttgart), David Raum (Leipzig), Malick Thiaw (Newcastle United)

Midfielders: Karim Adeyemi (Barcelona), Mika Baur (Celtic), Tom Bischof (Bayern Munich), Said El Mala (Cologne), Brajan Gruda (Leipzig), Vitaly Janelt (Brentford), Felix Keidel (Elversberg), Aleksandar Pavlovic (Bayern Munich), Derry Scherhant (Freiburg), Florian Wirtz (Liverpool)

Forwards: Jonathan Burkardt (Frankfurt), Nick Woltemade (Juventus).