2018 FIFA World Cup | Germany announce 23-man squad, Premier League star misses out

Germany winger Leroy Sane (Photo: AFP)


Manchester City winger Leroy Sane has sensationally been left of Joachim Loew’s 23-man Germany squad for the 2018 FIFA World Cup, with the German tactician preferring the likes of Julian Brandt and Marco Reus over him.

Even Mesut Ozil, who had a dreadful season with Arsenal, has been chosen ahead of the reigning PFA Young Player of the Year.

Die Mannschaft, the reigning World Champions, will be led by custodian Manuel Neuer in Russia.

The Germans still have a sensational squad despite Sane’s startling omission for the likes of Toni Kroos, Mats Hummels, Joshua Kimmich, Ilkay Gundogan, and Timo Werner, among others, are all boarding the plane.

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Sane’s snub has not gone down well with fans, however, for the 22-year-old  scored 14 times and had 17 assists for the Sky Blues over the course of the 2017-18 season in what is considered the most competitive league in the world.

Germany slumped to a shock 1-2 defeat at the hands of Austria in a warm-up fixture on the weekend, a tie in which Sane started, but failed to make an impact.

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The European giants have one final friendly tie left, a June 8 clash with Saudi Arabia, before they open their World Cup campaign on June 17.

Drawn in Group F, Die Mannschaft will battle it out for top spot alongside the likes of Mexico, Sweden and South Korea.

Final squad:

Goalkeepers: Manuel Neuer (C), Kevin Trapp and Marc-Andre ter Stegen.

Defenders: Jonas Hector, Antonio Rudiger, Joshua Kimmich, Mats Hummels, Jerome Boateng, Matthias Ginter, Marvin Plattenhardt and Niklas Sule.

Midfielders: Toni Kroos, Sami Khedira, Julian Draxler, Leon Goreztka, Sebastian Rudy, Ilkay Gundogan, Mesut Ozil and Julian Brandt.

Forwards: Thomas Mueller, Mario Gomez, Marco Reus and Timo Werner.