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Germany announces squad for Brazil friendly

Germany

Germany

German national team coach Joachim Löw has announced a 22-member squad for the upcoming friendly match against Brazil. The “clash of the titans” will take place at the Mercedes-Benz Arena, Stuttgart on August 10.

The German squad has no major surprises in it, while 21-year old Borussia Dortmund midfielder Ilkay Gündogan has received his first call-up to the senior team.

“I’m really happy that the national coach has placed his trust in me and I will deliver my best in the national team like I do for my club,” Gündogan said.

“A dream is coming true for me. I was always looking forward to represent Germany at international level,” the Turkish-origin player continued.

“Brazil is one of the most successful football nations in the world and they have reputation to play a very attractive game,” Germany coach Löw said. “No other team has so many great individuals in their team. The match against Brazil will be an interesting test for us.”

The friendly match against the Seleção will be a special encounter for another player in the German squad. VfB Stuttgart’s Brazilian-born player Claudemir Jerônimo Barreto, commonly known as Cacau, will be facing the country of his origin at the home ground of his club.

Cacau will be having his comeback in the German national team after an injury break at the end of last season and the attacking midfielder is looking forward to the match next week.

“It is a great pleasure and exciting experience for me to be part of the German team in a match against Brazil. It will be a very special day for me, especially as we play in Stuttgart,” Cacau told.

“I’m so glad to play for 90 minutes and it will be a very emotional moment in my career,” Cacau added.

Joachim Löw has agreed to go without Real Madrid duo Sami Khedira and Mesut Özil into the Brazil match, as both players are currently busy with their club’s pre-season obligations.

“I had conversations with both of them and we agreed to go ahead without them. They will be returning to Europe only on Sunday after touring the US and China with Real Madrid. They will be having a 14-hour flight and they had to undergo several time changes in the last couple of days. So it is rational to give them a rest after these strains and to call them up for the international matches in September,” Löw said.

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GERMANY SQUAD

Goalkeepers
1-Manuel Neuer (FC Bayern Munich), 12-Tim Wiese (SV Werder Bremen)

Defenders
2-Benedikt Höwedes (FC Schalke 04), 4-Dennis Aogo (Hamburger SV), 5-Mats Hummels (Borussia Dortmund), 14-Holger Badstuber (FC Bayern Munich), 15-Christian Träsch (VfL Wolfsburg), 16-Philipp Lahm (FC Bayern Munich), 20-Jerome Boateng (FC Bayern Munich)

Midfielders
3-Simon Rolfes (Bayer 04 Leverkusen), 6-Ilkay Gündogan (Borussia Dortmund), 7-Bastian Schweinsteiger (FC Bayern Munich), 8-Mario Götze (Borussia Dortmund), 9-André Schürrle (Bayer 04 Leverkusen), 10-Lukas Podolski (1.FC Cologne), 13-Thomas Müller (FC Bayern Munich), 17-Marco Reus (Borussia Moenchengladbach), 18-Toni Kroos (FC Bayern Munich), 19-Cacau (VfB Stuttgart), 21-Sven Bender (Borussia Dortmund)

Forwards
11-Miroslav Klose (S.S. Lazio), 23-Mario Gomez (FC Bayern Munich)