Antonio Rüdiger secured his place in the German Euro 2024 squad after receiving confirmation from the owner of a Berlin döner kebab shop, a place he frequented during his school days. Meanwhile, Joshua Kimmich was informed of his nomination by an actor from his favorite TV soap opera on Wednesday.
The unconventional announcements continued as the German Football Association (DFB) revealed more players ahead of Thursday's official provisional squad presentation by coach Julian Nagelsmann. Pascal Gross of Brighton & Hove Albion was announced by "Who Wants to be a Millionaire" host Günther Jauch, while Robert Andrich of Bayer Leverkusen was revealed by his national team midfield partner, Toni Kroos.
Real Madrid veteran Kroos disclosed the news about Andrich in the latest episode of the "Einfach mal Luppen" podcast, co-hosted with his brother Felix Kroos. Andrich, who made his national team debut last autumn, has become Kroos' midfield partner in recent games, solidifying his position in the squad.
Rüdiger, alongside Kroos, is expected to be a key player for Germany at the Euros, where they will face Scotland, Hungary, and Switzerland in the group stage. Similarly, Kimmich, who has been deployed as a right-back, is set to feature prominently in the tournament, marking his fifth major international competition.
The DFB's innovative approach to squad announcements has garnered widespread acclaim, utilizing traditional and social media channels, influencers, and even an art gallery to generate excitement while preventing media leaks.
In addition to Rüdiger, Kroos, and Kimmich, other players confirmed for the provisional squad include Manuel Neuer, Nico Schlotterbeck, Jonathan Tah, Maximilian Mittelstädt, Robin Koch, Aleksandar Pavlovic, Chris Führich, Leroy Sane, Niclas Füllkrug, and Kai Havertz.
Reports suggest that Alexander Nübel of VfB Stuttgart could also earn a spot in the provisional squad after an impressive season, despite being uncapped.
Nagelsmann will assemble his squad in late May for pre-Euros training and tune-up matches against Ukraine and Greece. However, players like Rüdiger, Kroos, Schlotterbeck, and Füllkrug are likely to miss the first week of training and potentially the Ukraine game due to their clubs' involvement in the Champions League final on June 1.
Nagelsmann must finalize his squad selection, with a maximum of 26 players, by June 7, a week before Germany's opening match against Scotland in the Euros.
