Joachim Löw said he is eager to experiment with his Germany team in its final two friendlies in 2017. The Germany head coach admitted he has some idea of what his squad will look like but expects some tough choices.
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Speaking at a press conference in Berlin on Thursday, Germany coach Joachim Löw said he wanted to get a good look at some of his players in his side's final two international matches of the year, the first of which is a friendly against England at Wembley Stadium on Friday.
"We want to play well and a result is an important issue," Löw said. "But I want to experiment a bit. We still have a few games to prepare until the World Cup."
Löw has recalled Mario Götze and Ilkay Gündogan, who were in Germany's World Cup squad and have not played for the national team in a year, as well as Sami Khedira and Mesut Özil for Friday's friendly against England, and the one against France next week. He also called in defender Marcel Halstenberg into his side and said he would give the Leipzig left back his first start against England.
"I am planning with him from the start. I took Marcel Halstenberg with us for that reason. He has been playing very well at Leipzig. He is good in the air, a strong physical player," Löw said.
Though the World Cup is still seven months away, Löw outlined some of the "irreplaceable" players he is sure to take against to Russia.
"Sami (Khedira), Manuel Neuer, Mats Hummels and Jerome Boateng can give a lot to the young players and help them in various situations," Löw said. "We don't need to talk about Toni Kroos either."
However, the Germany boss knows the tough selection process he has ahead of him. After winning the Confederations Cup without many of his World Cup stars in the fold, Löw admits he has a "clear surplus of players" to choose from.
"We will make decisions that will be hard for some players," he said. When asked if some prominent names will be left out of the final squad, he responded: "That could be the case."
With Thomas Müller still recovering from a thigh injury, Löw confirmed either Khedira or Hummels will wear the captain's armband against England. Jerome Boateng will miss Friday's game with an injury, and though Kroos returned to training on Thursday in Berlin after a stomach illness, the Germany coach said he "won't take any risks."
'Not losing sleep' over Neuer injury
Though reports in Germany have suggested that Neuer will miss five more weeks than expected due to a foot injury, Löw said he is not worried about his starting goalkeeper's availability for the World Cup.
"I haven't been in contact with him for the last two weeks, but from what I do know, it doesn't worry me and it doesn't keep me up at night," Löw said.
"I know he needs a few weeks. The plan is that he will return to training next year and he has a bit more time to regain his form."
Germany vs. England: A football rivalry in pictures
It's sparked celebrations, caused controversy, forced tears and lost elections. Following England's visit to Munich in June 2022, we look back at some of the fixture's best moments.
Image: Marvin Guengoer/GES/picture alliance
1909: England's amateurs on cloud nine
Some claim this 1909 game to be England's biggest ever win over Germany, although it doesn't exist in the official record books because of its amateur status. Hat tricks from Thomas C. Porter and Cyril E Dunning helped England to an emphatic 9-0 win at the long-since-demolished Oxford City ground.
Probably the most famous of all the meetings between the sides. Played at Wembley, the 1966 World Cup final was a thriller settled in extra time by one of the most controversial goals ever. More than 50 years have passed since England's 4-2 win and still the debate rages about whether England's third goal – the second of Geoff Hurst's hat trick – actually crossed the line.
Image: picture-alliance/dpa/Empics Barratts
1968: A measure of revenge for West Germany
With several players remaining from the 1966 World Cup final lineups, this friendly –played in Hanover – was seen as a chance for the West Germans to get their own back. A scrappy and overly physical encounter was settled in the 80th minute when Franz Beckenbauer's effort was deflected past England keeper Gordon Banks. It was England's first loss in continental Europe since 1963.
Image: picture-alliance/dpa
1970: West Germany stage Mexican comeback
The sides were drawn together in the quarterfinals of the 1970 World Cup in Mexico. England took a 2-0 lead but soon capitulated without goalkeeper Gordon Banks. Goals from Franz Beckenbauer and Uwe Seeler drew the Germans level before Gerd Müller settled the game in extra time for a 3-2 win. Four days later, British Prime Minister Harold Wilson blamed Labour's election loss on the defeat.
Image: Sven Simon/picture alliance
1972: West Germany outclass England twice
Another year, another quarterfinal meeting, this time at the European Championship. At the time knockouts were played over two legs, home and away. West Germany won 3-1 at Wembley thanks to a 26th Minute strike from Uli Hoeness and late goals from Günter Netzer and Gerd Müller. The sides drew 0-0 in the second leg in West Berlin and West Germany would go on to win the tournament.
Image: Getty Images
1982: Knockout blow for England
In a tournament that employed a format with two separate group stages, a 0-0 draw was enough to knock England out and see West Germany through to the semis. They defeated France on penalties to make the final, but would fail to lift the trophy. West Germany would lose 3-1 to Italy at the Bernabeu in a final best remembered for Marco Tardelli's passionate celebration.
Image: picture-alliance/Baumann
1990: Penalties, tension and tears in Turin
England's first semifinal since their triumph in 1966 saw them produce their best performance of Italia '90. Andreas Brehme put Germany ahead before Gary Lineker leveled for England late on. Then came Paul Gascoigne's tears after a yellow card that meant he would have missed the final. It went to penalties, and misses from Chris Waddle and Stuart Pearce (pictured) fatefully sent England home.
Image: picture-alliance/dpa
1996: It's coming home... to Germany
In their first home tournament since 1966, England met their rivals in the semifinal having seemingly exorcised their penalty demons against Spain in the previous round. An entertaining and even game, featuring the likes of Matthias Sammer and the imperious Germany captain Andreas Möller, somewhat inevitably came down to penalties. This time Gareth Southgate was the Englishman who missed.
Image: Imago/Werek
2000: Didi's farewell gift to Wembley
England had grand plans to mark the last game at their famous old stadium. The scene was a qualifying match for the 2002 World Cup, but it turned into a miserable farewell. A long-range strike from Dietmar Hamann was the only goal of a drab game. The defeat had far-reaching consequences for the hosts, with coach Kevin Keegan resigning immediately afterwards.
Image: picture-alliance/Sven Simon
2001: The miracle of Munich?
After the misery of their Wembley display earlier in the same qualifying group, England produced arguably their finest performance of the 21st century under Sven-Goran Eriksson in Munich. After Carsten Jancker opened the scoring, the visitors roared back into the game. Michael Owen (l.) bagged a hat trick while Steven Gerrard (r.) and Emile Heskey also notched goals in a 5-1 wolloping.
Image: picture-alliance/dpa/G. Copley
2010: Crossbar controversy reigns again
A young and skillful Germany side overran England in this World Cup last-16 game in Bloemfontein, South Africa, but only led 2-1 heading towards halftime. Frank Lampard then unleashed a strike from distance that struck the underside of the bar and seemed to bounce down at least a meter over the line. But Uruguayan referee Jorge Larrionda failed to award the goal. Germany went on to win 4-1.
Image: AP
2016: Comeback Lions hit three
It was only a friendly, but ahead of Euro 2016 a new-look England team came from two goals down to defeat Germany in Berlin. Deli Alli, aged just 19, stole the show as Harry Kane, Jamie Vardy, and an injury-time winner from Erik Dier sealed a 3-2 win. England would crash out to Iceland in the round of 16 at the European Championship, Germany would lose to hosts France in the semifinal.