Rudiger Returns, Sane Dropped for Germany World Cup Qualifiers
Germany coach Julian Nagelsmann has brought back center-back Antonio Rudiger while dropping winger Leroy Sane in his squad for the upcoming World Cup qualifiers in September.
The Germany coach was hit with a wave of injuries and is without forwards Jamal Musiala, Kai Havertz and Tim Kleindienst, first-choice goalkeeper Marc-Andre ter Stegen and defenders Nico Schlotterbeck and Benjamin Henrichs.
The Germany coach named three newcomers in the 23-man squad, Eintracht Frankfurt defender Nnamdi Collins, Augsburg goalkeeper Finn Dahmen and midfielder Paul Nebel from Mainz.
Sane, who has made 70 Germany appearances since making his debut in 2015, was left out of the first squad announced since he moved from Bayern Munich to Galatasaray in the summer.
Rudiger has been called up for the first time since his outburst in the Spanish Cup final in May, when the Real Madrid center-back threw an object at the referee while verbally abusing him.
In May, Nagelsmann criticized Rudiger’s behavior, saying: “He knows this can’t happen again, otherwise there will be very serious consequences.”
In an interview with Germany’s Sueddeutsche Zeitung, Rudiger apologized for his “wrong and excessive” behavior.
