Black Stars: Havertz returns, Musiala out as Germany prepare for Ghana showdown
Germany head coach Julian Nagelsmann has named a 26-man squad for upcoming international friendlies against Switzerland and Ghana, with the matches set to provide his final opportunity to assess players ahead of the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
The fixtures, scheduled for March 27 in Basel and March 30 in Stuttgart, form part of Germany’s final preparations before Nagelsmann names his tournament squad in May. Having already secured qualification for the global showpiece in the United States, Canada and Mexico, Die Mannschaft will use the games to fine-tune their squad and evaluate fringe players.
Nagelsmann’s selection features a blend of experience and youth, with two debutants handed maiden call-ups. Goalkeeper Jonas Urbig and teenage winger Lennart Karl have both been included after impressive club performances, particularly Karl, who has enjoyed a breakthrough campaign with Bayern Munich.
With established goalkeepers Manuel Neuer and Marc-André ter Stegen unavailable, Urbig is expected to compete with Oliver Baumann and Alexander Nübel for the starting role, although Baumann is tipped to retain his place as first choice.
In attack, Kai Havertz returns to the national setup after recovering from a knee injury, boosting Germany’s forward options ahead of the World Cup. He is joined by familiar names including Serge Gnabry, Leroy Sané and Deniz Undav.
However, there is no place for Jamal Musiala, who continues to manage a minor injury setback following a long-term absence. Explaining the decision, Nagelsmann said: “He had a slight reaction. That’s normal, but it’s frustrating because he had been on a good path.
“But we and Bayern share the same interest: that the player gets healthy again. I decided against taking him with us and letting him play through pain. That doesn’t help anyone. As always, I had a very good exchange with Vincent Kompany.”
Several other players, including Karim Adeyemi and Nadiem Amiri, have also been left out, while others such as Antonio Rüdiger, Pascal Groß and Florian Wirtz return to bolster the squad.
Germany will first face Switzerland at St. Jakob Park before hosting Ghana at the MHP Arena in what is expected to be a high-profile encounter, particularly for Ghanaian fans eager to see how the Black Stars measure up against one of Europe’s traditional powerhouses.
The matches are expected to provide key insights into Germany’s readiness for the World Cup, while also offering Ghana a valuable test against elite opposition as they continue to rebuild and strengthen their squad.
Germany’s 26-man squad in full:
Goalkeepers: Oliver Baumann, Alexander Nübel, Jonas Urbig
Defenders: Waldemar Anton, Nathanial Brown, Joshua Kimmich, David Raum, Antonio Rüdiger, Nico Schlotterbeck, Jonathan Tah, Malick Thiaw, Josha Vagnoman
Midfields: Pascal Gross, Leon Goretzka, Felix Nmecha, Aleksander Pavlovic, Anton Stach, Florian Wirtz
Attackers: Serge Gnabry, Kai Havertz, Lennart Karl, Jamie Leweling, Leroy Sané, Kevin Schade, Deniz Undav, Nick Woltemade
