The German national team will start the World‑Cup year with two debutants and six returning players. Coach Julian Nagelsmann has, for the first time, called up U21 internationals Lennart Karl and Jonas Urbig-both from Bayern Munich-for his 26‑man squad. Returning figures include Pascal Groß (Brighton & Hove Albion), Kai Havertz (Arsenal), Anton Stach (Leeds United), Antonio Rüdiger (Real Madrid), and Deniz Undav and Josha Vagnoman (both from VfB Stuttgart). The squad gathers in Herzogenaurach on Monday.
Germany will play Switzerland in Basel on 27 March and Ghana in Stuttgart on 30 March. Against the Swiss side, Germany have contested 54 matches, winning 36, losing 9 and drawing 9. The Ghanaians have faced Germany three times: a 6‑1 German victory in a 1993 friendly in Bochum, and at the 2010 and 2014 World Cups a win and a draw for Germany, respectively.
