Borussia Mönchengladbach striker Tim Kleindienst has been called up to the latest Germany squad, completing a remarkable rise for the 29-year-old.
In keeping with his style of selecting in-form players, Julian Nagelsmann also welcomed back Bayern Munich’s Serge Gnabry after almost a year out of the squad. Antonio Rüdiger returns after being given a break and Janis Blaswich is in as the third goalkeeper. Borussia Dortmund’s Emre Can and Maximilian Beier are not in the squad.
“We only have a few changes again, more as a result of having injured players,” said Nagelsmann.
With Niclas Füllkrug out injured, Nagelsmann confirmed this was a chance to test Kleindienst. The striker, who started his career in 2013 in the second division for Energie Cottbus, is considered a late bloomer in football terms.
After a spells at Freiburg, Heidenheim and Gent, Kleindienst eventually returned to Heidenheim. It was there he finished top scorer in the 2022/23 season, with his goals helping the club seal promotion to the Bundesliga. After one season in the Bundesliga, a campaign which ended with the club sealing an unexpected European spot, Kleindienst signed for Gladbach. So far this season, he has scored twice in his first five league games.
While Stuttgart’s Alexander Nübel is hoping to play, Nagelsmann stated that Hoffenheim goalkeeper Oliver Baumann “deserved” the chance to play for Germany after a long time waiting in the wings. Nagelsmann also confirmed the injured Marc-Andre ter Stegen would remain Germany’s number one.
“Marc will get all the time he needs from us to return. He is our number one and he knows that,” Nagelsmann said.
Germany currently sit top of their Nations League group, with four points.
Germany’s team will meet-up on October 7 in Herzogenaurach, where the team’s base camp is. They will head to Bosnia on October 11 before returning to Munich on October 14 to play the Netherlands, a fixture that will also see former players Manuel Neuer, Thomas Müller, Toni Kroos and Ilkay Gündogan given an official farewell after their recent retirements.
