Loew names World Cup training squad

Germany coach Joachim Loew on Thursday named an extended group for a three-day World Cup training camp in Stuttgart to look at potential candidates for the final squad set to travel to South Africa.

The national squad is set to assemble in the southern German city on Sunday evening with extensive fitness tests planned until Wednesday next week.

Captain Michael Ballack will be missing, as he is involved in his club Chelsea’s Premier League clash against Birmingham City, while Cologne striker Lukas Podolski and Schalke defender Heiko Westermann are both injured.

Rising stars Thomas Mueller of Bayern Munich and Leverkusen’s Toni Kroos, both 20, are included while Hamburg defender David Aogo has also been called up.

Defenders Robert Huth, of English club Stoke City, and Stuttgart’s Christian Traesch are also included.

“The 30-man squad is of players who played a role in our team over the last few months and for younger players who are prospective talent for the World Cup,” said Loew.

“This group, as well as those who can’t attend the Stuttgart training through injury, will be observed through the coming months.

“Of course, the door is not closed to other candidates, but they will need to produce significant performances from now up until the end of the season.”

Goalkeepers

Rene Adler (Bayer Leverkusen), Manuel Neuer (Schalke 04), Tim Wiese (Werder Bremen)

Defenders

Dennis Aogo (Hamburg), Andreas Beck (Hoffenheim), Jerome Boateng (Hamburg), Arne Friedrich (Hertha Berlin), Robert Huth (Stoke City/ENG), Philipp Lahm (Bayern Munich), Per Mertesacker (Werder Bremen), Marcel Schaefer (VfL Wolfsburg), Serdar Tasci (VfB Stuttgart), Christian Traesch (VfB Stuttgart)

Midfield

Christian Gentner (VfL Wolfsburg), Thomas Hitzlsperger (VfB Stuttgart), Aaron Hunt (Werder Bremen), Marcell Jansen (Hamburg), Sami Khedira (VfB Stuttgart), Toni Kroos (Bayer Leverkusen), Marko Marin (Werder Bremen), Thomas Mueller (Bayern Munich), Mesut Oezil (Werder Bremen), Simon Rolfes (Bayer Leverkusen), Bastian Schweinsteiger (Bayern Munich), Piotr Trochowski (Hamburg)

Forwards

Cacau (VfB Stuttgart), Mario Gomez (Bayern Munich), Patrick Helmes (Bayer Leverkusen), Stefan Kiessling (Bayer Leverkusen), Miroslav Klose (Bayern Munich)