Flick explains Hummels’ absence from the Germany squad

Germany’s 26-man squad for the World Cup was announced a couple of hours ago and a notable absentee from

was the 33-year-old Dortmund defender, Mats Hummels.

The omission came as a shock to many as Hummels have been on fine form recently, prompting the reporters to ask Flick why Hummels was not included in his squad.

"W

e thought about how to put together the squad. We watched a lot of his games, he has excellent form, is in top shape and has given Dortmund a lot,"

Flick said.

"With a view to the future, we have opted for a younger player in the coaching team, it's nothing against Mats. Mats can be good for any team."

While the 20-year-old Armel Bella-Kotchap from Southampton and the 22-year-old Nico Scholtterbeck were called up instead of Hummels, Flick’s claim about wanting to look to the future rings true.

Another notable inclusion was that of Niclas Fullkrug who is 2nd in Bundesliga’s scoring charts with 10 goals.

"The first time I noticed Füllkrug was in 2016, when it came to nominating players for the Olympics. I've seen him a few times,"

Flick added about Fullkrug.

"He is very confident on the ball, has a good finish and his headers are also an element that is good for us. How far a player appears in our considerations for a game is up to the players themselves."

"Niclas has ten goals. He has the momentum on his side. He does it very well. I also talked to Ole Werner (Bremen coach) for a very long time.

"If you look at Bremen's games, they have always changed something in the last minute. He gives the team confidence and self-image. He can identify well with any role."

And the final shock came when people realized Mario Gotze was called back to Die Mannschaft. The man who scored the

winning goal in the 2014 World Cup final has made a return to Germany’s squad after 5 years of being out of it.

"We all know that Mario is a brilliant footballer and a great person. He has flashes of thought. He was the last games at a very, very high level. He's in top shape,"

Flick said.

"It's the first time he's been there for a long time. He is very happy about it, we are looking forward to him too. This squad nomination gives us a lot of opportunities."

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