Gomez recall, Sane fast-track hint at Germany blend for Euro 2016

PSG goalkeeper Kevin Trapp is also included on Low’s roster for the first time, and that reinforces the strength in depth behind Germany number one Manuel Neuer with Barcelona stopper Marc-Andre ter Stegen rested.

While Marco Reus, Benedikt Howedes and Mario Gotze are all injured, the omissions of Real Madrid midfielder Toni Kroos and Arsenal playmaker Mesut Ozil raises questions. The latter leads the Premier League assists table, while deeper-lying Kroos takes Die Mannschaft corners.

Low retains midfield experience in the form of Germany skipper Bastian Sschweinsteiger and Sami Khedira, with centurion attacker Lukas Podolski keeping his place. Antonio Rudiger, loaned by struggling Stuttgart to Roma, returns among the defensive options.

Ever-evolving Die Mannschaft

Having lost record scorer Miroslav Klose up front and fellow hundred-cap club members Per Mertesacker and captain Philipp Lahm from defence, as all three called time on their international career following 2014 World Cup glory, it has not been plain sailing for Germany since.

Low’s lads dropped eight points in Euro 2016 qualifying, edging neighbours Poland to secure top spot by a single point in Group D. British Isles duo Scotland and the Republic of Ireland, who could still make the tournament finals, joined the Poles in pinching points off Die Mannschaft.

Klose’s absence has been more than covered by Bayern Munich marksman Thomas Muller, netting nine in qualifying through his canny knack of being in the right place at the right time. Such positional play and poaching on instinct is an essential and long-standing tactic of German strikers.

Full Germany squad to face France and the Netherlands

Goalkeepers: Bernd Leno (Bayer Leverkusen), Manuel Neuer (Bayern Munich), Kevin Trapp (PSG), Ron-Robert Zieler (Hannover).

Defenders: Jerome Boateng (Munich), Matthias Ginter and Mats Hummels (both Borussia Dortmund), Jonas Hector (Cologne), Shkodran Mustafi (Valencia), Antonio Rudiger (Roma, on loan from Stuttgart), Sebastian Rudy (Hoffenheim).

Midfielders: Emre Can (Liverpool), Julian Draxler (Wolfsburg), Ilkay Gundogan (Dortmund), Sami Khedira (Juventus), Christoph Kramer (Leverkusen), Bastian Schweinsteiger (Manchester United).

Forwards: Karim Bellarabi (Leverkusen), Mario Gomez (Besiktas, on loan from Fiorentina), Max Kruse and Andre Schurrle (both Wolfsburg), Thomas Muller (Munich), Lukas Podolski (Galatasaray), Leroy Sane (Schalke), Kevin Volland (Hoffenheim).

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