Germany coach Hansi Flick made three new call-ups and recalled five players on Friday including Borussia Dortmund captain Marco Reus among his first selections for upcoming World Cup qualifiers.
Flick, naming his first squad since taking over from Joachim Löw, continued the rebuilding started by his predecessor in calling up Hoffenheim midfielder David Raum, Freiburg defender Nico Schlotterbeck and Salzburg forward Karim Adeyemi for the first time.
All three players are 23 or younger.
As well as the experienced Reus, Flick also recalled Reus' Dortmund teammate Mahmoud Dahoud, Paris Saint-Germain defender Thilo Kehrer, Bayer Leverkusen midfielder Florian Wirtz and Wolfsburg defender Ridle Baku.
None of the five were included in Löw’s squad for the European Championship.
Real Madrid midfielder Toni Kroos retired from international soccer after the tournament, giving Bayern Munich’s Joshua Kimmich, Manchester City’s İlkay Gündoğan and Borussia Mönchengladbach’s Florian Neuhaus the chance to take on greater roles.
Flick also retained faith in Bayern veteran Thomas Müller, but Dortmund’s Mats Hummels was still working on his return to fitness.
Germany will play Lichtenstein in St. Gallen for Flick’s debut as coach next Thursday, then Armenia in Stuttgart three days later, before a trip to Reykjavík to face Iceland on September 8.
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“The whole coaching team is looking forward to what's coming," Flick said. "We know that it certainly won't be easy, the three games, but we're ready. I think we're well prepared. That's the decisive factor in this situation. We hope we ultimately show it on the field.”
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