Lennart Karl and Jonas Urbig receive first Germany call-ups

The Germany squad for March’s two friendly matches against Switzerland and Ghana was announced on Thursday and includes seven Bayern players, with Lennart Karl and Jonas Urbig both earning maiden senior call-ups. The 18-year-old forward and 22-year-old goalkeeper have taken huge steps this season under Vincent Kompany. Julian Nagelsmann has now given them the chance to earn their first caps for the national team.

More established names like Jonathan Tah, Joshua Kimmich (captain), Serge Gnabry, Leon Goretzka and Aleksandar Pavlović are also in the 26-man squad, with all hoping to be on the plane to this summer’s World Cup in North America.

However, Nagelsmann has chosen not to name Jamal Musiala in his selection. The 23-year-old is currently sidelined following a reaction to the ankle injury he suffered last year. Should Karl, who is 18 years and 25 days old on the day of the squad announcement, feature in one of the friendlies, he would be the seventh-youngest debutant in Germany’s history, behind Musiala (18 years and 27 days in 2021), Friedel Holz, Youssoufa Moukoko, Uwe Seeler, Marius Hiller and Willy Baumgärtner (17 years and 104 days in 1908).

Urbig, who returned to action after concussion in Wednesday’s 4-1 win over Atalanta, is 22 years and 223 days old and would join an illustrious list of young Germany goalkeepers, including the likes of Sepp Maier, who was 22 years and 65 days when he won his first cap against Ireland on 4 May 1966 in a team featuring Franz Beckenbauer and Uwe Seeler.