After calling up 44 players for this international break, Germany head coach Jürgen Klopp has indicated that the squad will be significantly reduced in November.
Speaking after the 0-0 draw against Greece, Klopp said: “We will calmly analyze the two weeks, and then in five weeks we have two international matches again with a reduced squad. Of course, we won’t be going there with 44 players. The door is open to everyone. If someone is not called up, they know it’s not because they’re not good enough, but because we have to stop at 23-24 players.”
Advertisement
Following the disappointment of the 2026 FIFA World Cup and Germany’s struggles at recent major tournaments, Klopp was tasked with rebuilding the national team. One of his priorities during his first international window was to assess a broad pool of players, including several younger options who were given opportunities at senior level.
Across the four games during the international window, Germany won one, drew two and lost one. There is still a long way to go before the team returns to the level expected of one of international football’s traditional powers.
“We saw many players over these two weeks. Everyone showed what they could do; everyone earned their place. Think of all the things people said about us – what we can do, what we can’t do. We showed signs that we can do a few things better than people gave us credit for. The door is open to everyone. Wide open,” Klopp added.
Germany will travel to face Serbia before hosting the Netherlands in the next international break. By then, Klopp is expected to have a clearer idea of the core group he wants to take forward.
GGFN | Brook Genene
