Hansi Flick surprises with a newcomer in the squad for the Nations League games against Hungary and England. At the last sighting there is no comeback of the world champions Götze and Hummels.
National coach Hansi Flick has surprisingly called U21 national player Armel Bella-Kotchap to the national soccer team for the first time for his “starting shot towards the World Cup”.
The 20-year-old central defender, who switched to FC Southampton in the English Premier League from VfL Bochum in the summer, is the only newcomer in the 24-player DFB squad for the Nations League games against Hungary and England.
“We as a coaching team are already in World Cup mode”
“Bella-Kotchap developed well in Southampton. He defended well in the Premier League,” said Flick, explaining the invitation of the 1.90 meter tall defender. The international matches on Friday next week in Leipzig and three days later in London are Flick’s last sightings before the announcement of the 26-player squad for the World Cup in Qatar, which begins on November 20. “We as a coaching team are already in World Cup mode,” said Flick on Thursday, full of anticipation, in a digital media round.
Defenders Matthias Ginter and Robin Gosens are prominent returnees to the DFB selection. Flick, on the other hand, does not want the 2014 world champions Mario Götze and Mats Hummels to make a comeback. But you watch closely what the 30-year-old Götze “does” at Eintracht Frankfurt, said Flick. The veteran Hummels (33) also “seems very fit”.
Flick gives non-nominees hope for the World Cup
However, both could “jump on the World Cup train,” assured the national coach. This also applies to players like Julian Draxler, Jonathan Tah, who was not nominated this time, or currently injured players like Lukas Klostermann. FC Bayern has the largest block with seven players. Borussia Dortmund is there with the quartet Marco Reus, Julian Brandt and the new central defenders Niklas Süle and Nico Schlotterbeck.
The national team gathers in Frankfurt on Monday, where they train on the new DFB campus. Flick announced “the goal” of qualifying for the Nations League Final Four tournament in the summer of 2023 in the games against group leaders Hungary and against England. With two wins, Germany would definitely be first.
Source: Stern
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