FRANKFURT, Germany — German national team coach Julian Nagelsmann has unveiled a squad blending youthful promise with experienced returns for upcoming international friendlies. The most notable inclusion is 18-year-old Bayern Munich forward Lennart Karl, who received his first senior call-up following a spectacular breakthrough Champions League campaign.
Karl’s selection comes fresh off his impressive performance against Atalanta, where he contributed both a goal and an assist. The teenager has now registered four goals and two assists across just seven appearances in Europe’s premier club competition, establishing himself as Bayern’s youngest-ever scorer in the Champions League since his first start in October.
Another potential debutant is Karl’s Bayern teammate Jonas Urbig, who has capably filled the goalkeeper position during Manuel Neuer’s absence due to calf injuries. Urbig recently returned from a concussion to help secure Bayern’s comprehensive 10-2 aggregate victory over Atalanta.
The squad also welcomes back Real Madrid defender Antonio Rüdiger, returning to international duty for the first time since September after recovering from a hamstring injury that sidelined him for much of the season’s first half and Germany’s final four World Cup qualifying matches.
Stuttgart striker Deniz Undav makes a compelling return following an exceptional scoring streak, having found the net in each of his last five Bundesliga appearances. With 16 league goals, Undav stands as the Bundesliga’s second-highest scorer, trailing only Bayern’s Harry Kane.
Germany will face Switzerland in an away friendly on March 27th before hosting Ghana in Stuttgart three days later. The four-time World Cup champions have been drawn into a group with Curaçao, Ivory Coast, and Ecuador for the upcoming tournament.