Tasci Called Up To German Squad

German national team trainer Joachim Löw has announced his squad for the forthcoming friendly international against Belgium with Stuttgart defender Serdar Tasci the surprise call-up. Robert Enke and Rene Adler have been selected as the two goalkeepers.

Löw has called up a total of 21 players for next week’s friendly against Belgium in Nürnberg- the countries first match since losing to Spain in the European Championship final in Vienna.

Alongside Tasci, Löw has called up Marko Marin, Patrick Helmes and Jermaine Jones, who were all dropped from the Euro 2008 squad. Bayern youngster Toni Kroos however has not been selected. He will play for the U-21 team instead.

On his selection Tasci said: “I’m delighted, but I will not get too euphoric. I’ve been selected a few times now but I’ve been cursed with injury each time.”

With the retirement of Jens Lehmann from international football, Löw has called up both Robert Enke and Rene Adler to the squad. Schalke’s Manuel Neuer is injured. Valencia's Timo Hildebrand has once again been overlooked although the trainer is not ruling out recalling him in the near future.

Also injured and unavailable are Per Mertesacker, Bernd Schneider, Tim Borowski, David Odonkor, Arne Friedrich and Oliver Neuville.

The match against Belgium will serve as a warm-up ahead of Germany's up-coming World Cup qualifiers against Liechtenstein and Finland on September 6 and September 10.

Full Squad:

Goalkeepers: Rene Adler (Bayer Leverkusen), Robert Enke (Hannover)

Defenders: Christoph Metzelder (Real Madrid), Philipp Lahm (Bayern Munich), Marcell Jansen (Bayern Munich), Clemens Fritz (Werder Bremen), Serdar Tasci (Stuttgart), Heiko Westermann (Schalke)

Midfielders: Michael Ballack (Chelsea), Thomas Hitzlsperger (Stuttgart), Simon Rolfes (Bayer Leverkusen), Torsten Frings (Werder Bremen), Bastian Schweinsteiger (Bayern Munich), Piotr Trochowski (Hamburg), Jermaine Jones (Schalke), Marko Marin (Borussia Mönchengladbach), Lukas Podolski (Bayern Munich)

Forwards: Miroslav Klose (Bayern Munich), Mario Gomez (Stuttgart), Kevin Kuranyi (Schalke), Patrick Helmes (Bayer Leverkusen)