Julian Nagelsmann has handed maiden Germany call-ups to Bayern Munich starlets Lennart Karl and Jonas Urbig ahead of this month’s friendlies versus Switzerland and Ghana.
Exciting attacker Karl, who only turned 18 last month, has enjoyed a breakout season under Vincent Kompany in Bavaria, playing 33 matches in all competitions and scoring eight goals. Goalkeeper Urbig, 22, has featured 13 times, and has largely been Bayern’s first choice since the turn of the year.
“I expect him to bring his youthful fearlessness on to the pitch,” Nagelsmann said of Karl. “He likes playing centrally, but we also have him planned on the right. I’m not putting any pressure on him to produce miracles. He should simply bring what a young player represents and play football freely, straight from the heart.”
The pair, however, won’t be joined by Bayern team-mate Jamal Musiala. The 23-year-old made his return from a long-term leg injury in January, but has since been ruled out with an ankle issue.
“He had a slight reaction,” Nagelsmann continued. “That’s normal, but it’s frustrating because he had been on a good path. But we and Bayern share the same interest: that the player gets healthy again. I decided against taking him with us and letting him play through pain. That doesn’t help anyone. As always, I had a very good exchange with [Bayern coach] Vincent Kompany.”
Usual squad mainstays Leon Goretzka, Joshua Kimmich, Antonio Rudiger, Jonathan Tah and Florian Wirtz have been selected. Arsenal forward Kai Havertz has received his first call-up since November 2024, while Leeds’ Anton Stach has been named in a squad for the first time since June 2022.
Elsewhere, goalkeeper Marc-Andre Ter Stegen is missing with a hamstring issue, while Angelo Stiller, Maximilian Beier, Karim Adeyemi and Yann Aurel Bisseck have all been omitted.
Germany have been placed in Group E at the FIFA World Cup 2026™, and will face Curaçao in Houston, Côte d’Ivoire in Toronto and Ecuador in New York New Jersey.
Goalkeepers
Oliver Baumann (Hoffenheim)
Alexander Nubel (Stuttgart)
Jonas Urbig (Bayern Munich)
Defenders
Waldemar Anton (Borussia Dortmund)
Nathaniel Brown (Eintracht Frankfurt)
Pascal Gross (Brighton & Hove Albion)
Joshua Kimmich (Bayern Munich)
David Raum (RB Leipzig)
Nico Schlotterbeck (Borussia Dortmund)
Jonathan Tah (Bayern Munich)
Malick Thiaw (Newcastle United)
Josha Vagnoman (Stuttgart)
Midfielders
Leon Goretzka (Bayern Munich)
Lennart Karl (Bayern Munich)
Aleksandar Pavlovic (Bayern Munich)
Anton Stach (Leeds United)
Florian Wirtz (Liverpool)
Forwards
Serge Gnabry (Bayern Munich)
Kai Havertz (Arsenal)
Jamie Leweling (Stuttgart)
Felix Nmecha (Borussia Dortmund)
Leroy Sane (Galatasaray)
Kevin Schade (Brentford)
Deniz Undav (Stuttgart)
Nick Woltemade (Newcastle United)
