Jürgen Klopp has linked national pride with inclusive values in his first Germany squad announcement. The new head coach aims to reclaim the flag for sport after the far-right AfD party won almost 44 percent of the vote in a recent state election.

"I don’t want to entrust national pride to the wrong people," Klopp said at his press conference in Frankfurt. "A crazy amount of things have happened not that long ago." The 59-year-old, who took over in July, advocated for 'positive patriotism'. From a sporting perspective, he said he would like to reclaim the flag for himself and the team. He stressed football can foster a sense of community and allow people to feel the power of sport.

Unusually large squad

For the four upcoming Nations League matches, Klopp named a 44-man squad, far exceeding the usual 23 players per matchday. "It’s very unusual that you’ve got four games in two weeks with the national team," he explained. "I want to get to know as many players as possible in that time." The side, which sits top of their World Cup qualifying group with six points from three games, first travel to face the Netherlands on 24 September. They then face Greece home and away, with a home match against Serbia in between.

Personnel and outlook

Due to the heavy workload, Florian Wirtz and Kai Havertz will likely be limited to a maximum of two appearances. Karim Adeyemi returns after an 11-month absence, while goalkeeper legend Manuel Neuer is no longer in the squad. Marc-André ter Stegen is now the clear first choice. Notable new call-ups include Elversberg midfielder Felix Keidel and Cologne youngster Said El Mala. Striker Deniz Undav, currently the team's top scorer this season with three goals in four appearances, and winger Leroy Sané were not selected. The full squad list and fixture schedule can be found on our Squad and Fixtures pages.

His first match in charge is on Wednesday in Amsterdam. Klopp views the upcoming fixtures as a key opportunity to build team spirit and establish his philosophy, while the team also looks to defend its position at the top of the qualifying group with six points from three games.

Read the full report at The Guardian Football