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Miroslav Klose

Joachim Low has made the final three cuts to his Germany Fifa World Cup™ squad with Shkodran Mustafi, Marcel Schmelzer and Kevin Volland missing out. There is only one striker – veteran Miroslav Klose – listed in the final group of 23, although the likes of Lukas Podolski, Andre Schurrle and Thomas Muller provide a significant attacking threat from midfield.

As their training camp wrapped up, Low told the German football federation’s website: “I was amazed at how all the players presented themselves in South Tyrol. Each individual has worked excellently. Players have done what I ask for. It is very hard to make this decision and Shkodran, Marcel and Kevin are naturally very disappointed. I understand that as they had every right to hope to be going to Brazil…

“Of all the players selected I have 100 percent confidence. We have the right mix of youth and talent and players with lots of experience. Our squad is balanced, with two players in every position. Our players have character, this team has character, and we will go to Brazil with confidence and with big goals.”

The players were taking a day off yesterday before meeting in Mainz on Friday to play Armenia. They are due to head to Brazil on Saturday. — Fifa

Germany squad:

Goalkeepers: Manuel Neuer (Bayern Munich), Roman Weidenfeller (Borussia Dortmund), Ron-Robert Zieler (Hannover)

Defenders: Jerome Boateng (Bayern Munich), Erik Durm (Borussia Dortmund), Kevin Grosskreutz (Borussia Dortmund), Benedikt Howedes (FC Schalke), Mats Hummels (Borussia Dortmund), Philipp Lahm (Bayern Munich), Per Mertesacker (Arsenal)

Midfielders: Julian Draxler (Schalke), Matthias Ginter (Freiburg), Mario Gotze (Bayern Munich), Christoph Kramer (Borussia Monchengladbach), Sami Khedira (Real Madrid), Toni Kroos (Bayern Munich), Thomas Muller (Bayern Munich), Mesut Ozil (Arsenal), Lukas Podolski (Arsenal), Marco Reus (Borussia Dortmund), Andre Schurrle (Chelsea), Bastian Schweinsteiger (Bayern Munich)

Forward: Miroslav Klose (Lazio).