Germany, as the hosts of Euro 2024, have announced their formidable goalkeeper lineup, consisting of four talented shot-stoppers. Head coach Julian Nagelsmann revealed the preliminary squad on Thursday, surprising fans with some unexpected selections.
Joining the ranks alongside stalwarts Manuel Neuer, Oliver Baumann, and Marc-Andre ter Stegen is VfB Stuttgart’s Alexander Nubel. Nagelsmann’s choices largely reflect his confidence in the players who have contributed over the past seven months.
Explaining his decision, Nagelsmann emphasized the delicate balance of his team’s evolving structure, wary that introducing too many new faces could disrupt the cohesion built since March. “When you have this structure, which is still growing but fragile after our performances in March, bringing in new elements could trigger an implosion of that structure and you would have to start from scratch,” he commented ahead of his debut international tournament.
In a remarkable display of prowess, Germany triumphed over both France and the Netherlands in consecutive friendlies back in March, marking a significant resurgence for the three-time European champions. Despite their illustrious history, Germany has been in pursuit of a major trophy since their 2014 World Cup victory.
Nagelsmann highlighted the importance of having a quartet of goalkeepers, emphasizing the need to distribute the workload effectively throughout the tournament.
“We have nominated four goalkeepers, and we will go with four to the tournament. Nuebel has deserved the nomination,” Nagelsmann affirmed.
“Why four keepers? You can have goalkeepers in training as well, and Manuel (Neuer) does not always have to do it. We can control training and spread the load.
“That means 22 infield players. I can live with that very well. We can still do proper training with at least 20 infield players if some are missing.”
In the 27-man squad, which must be trimmed to 26, veterans Thomas Mueller, Toni Kroos, and Neuer, all 2014 world champions, stand tall.
Twenty-year-old Aleksandar Pavlovic, who missed the March friendlies due to injury and awaits his first cap, secured his place with stellar performances for Bayern Munich.
Robert Andrich, Florian Wirtz, and Jonathan Tah represent Bayer Leverkusen in the squad, having contributed to the Bundesliga champions’ unbeaten season across all competitions.
The notable exclusions include Borussia Dortmund’s Champions League finalist Mats Hummels and Bayern Munich’s Leon Goretzka, who narrowly missed the cut.
Germany’s Group A campaign kicks off with the tournament opener against Scotland on June 14. They will also face Hungary and Switzerland in the first stage.
