Jürgen Klopp has announced an unusually large pool of 44 players for Germany's opening Nations League fixtures, splitting the group into two separate squads of 22 who will each cover two matches during the upcoming international window. The announcement, made at a widely streamed press conference in Germany, marks the new head coach's first official act since taking over from Julian Nagelsmann. Germany's opening match is against the Netherlands in Amsterdam next Thursday.

Among the notable selections is goalkeeper Marc ter Stegen, who will make his international return after a year out through injury. The Barcelona-trained shot-stopper, currently on loan at Ajax — the Amsterdam-based Dutch club — is Klopp's first-choice goalkeeper for the matches against the Netherlands and Greece. Julian Brandt, the German midfielder also playing for Ajax and in fine domestic form, was not called up, despite publicly saying he had hoped for a call. The 44-man pool includes 16 players who have never been capped at senior level, among them Bambasé Conté of Hoffenheim, Celtic's Mika Baur, and Felix Keidel of Bundesliga newcomers SV Elversberg. Klopp recounted that Conté laughed for a full two minutes upon receiving the call, initially unsure the voice on the line was really his.

Klopp framed the oversized selection as a deliberate philosophy: rather than focusing on what Germany lacks, he said, the aim was to identify everything the country has. He indicated that his list of potential candidates had at one point exceeded 60 names, and that talented players — including several strikers retained in the under-21 setup and a number of injured regulars — were left out despite being considered. Joshua Kimmich, previously used as a defender under Nagelsmann, will return to his natural position in midfield. Klopp asked for patience, saying his new approach would take time to become visible, but added: "I expect more immediately. More is always possible." He also said he would prioritise defensive stability before anything else.

The press conference took on a broader dimension when Klopp addressed the political climate in Germany. Referencing recent regional election results in Saxony-Anhalt, where the far-right AfD party emerged as the strongest force, Klopp declared that he did not want to leave national pride to "the wrong people," and said he wanted to "reclaim the flag." He spoke of a "positive patriotism" — one he argued was embodied by the diverse, multicultural makeup of the squad he had just announced. The comments drew considerable attention, with observers noting that a German national coach had rarely used a squad announcement to make so pointed a political statement.

With Germany's Nations League campaign beginning against a traditional rival in the Netherlands, expectations will be managed carefully. Klopp's message, though, was clear from the outset: the rebuild should be energetic, inclusive, and — above all — enjoyable. As he put it, "having fun under pressure is actually cool."