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We continue the series of articles about the most promising European players, and in this one, we will review the talents of Germany, which UEFA's official website reviewers have paid attention to.
Although German national team coach Jurgen Klinsmann has stated that players who currently do not have a place in his team will find it difficult to get in before the World Cup this summer, several German talents will strive to do everything to change the coach's opinion and make their dream of playing in the World Cup in their homeland come true.
Marcel Jansen, Malik Fathi, Piotr Trochowski, and Nando Rafael have recently shown excellent form, and J. Klinsmann may have to reconsider some of his decisions regarding the squad that will compete in the World Cup. Perhaps the most realistic chance of breaking into the national team belongs to Borussia Monchengladbach left-back M. Jansen.
Twenty-year-old M. Jansen made his debut for the German national team in September, replacing Philipp Lahm, who suffered a serious cruciate ligament injury. Impressing experts with his speed and excellent crossing ability, the young defender made a serious bid for a place in the national team and says he is not worried about Lahm's return: "I will continue to focus on playing for my club and not worry about Philipp's return. He has already proven his worth in the national team, but I don't think I play poorly."
M. Jansen may have to compete for a place in the national team with another young talent - Hertha Berlin defender M. Fathi. Born into a Turkish family in Germany, the defender has been a key player for Hertha in recent seasons. Improved significantly in attack and solid in defense, M. Fathi hopes for a "promotion" to the German national team, as he has already participated in the European Championship with the German U-21 team.
However, in Germany, promising players are not only full-backs but also defensive midfielders. One of the standouts is P. Trochowski. A Polish-blooded midfielder shone in Bayern Munich's youth teams until he moved to Hamburg in January 2005. Twenty-two-year-old P. Trochowski missed the second half of last season due to an injury he suffered in a match against his former club. However, recovered from the injury, he became an important player for Hamburg, capable of scoring goals and making accurate passes. What helps the German in Hamburg improve is that he spends a lot of time on the field and during training playing with Dutch national team midfielder Rafael van der Vaart.
Another player whose chances of making it into the German national team were least valued, but recently shone in the Bundesliga matches, attracting the attention of J. Klinsmann and his assistant Joachim Low. Eintracht Frankfurt midfielder Alexander Meier is demonstrating impressive form this year. His ability to score goals and technique has helped Frankfurt stay above the relegation zone in the Bundesliga. "He is an interesting player," admits J. Low.
Another Hertha player who has stood out recently with his performance not only scored goals but also demonstrated the ability to score them when needed most. Born in England and playing in the attacking midfield position, Rafael was a regular member of the U-21 national team since obtaining German citizenship and helped it qualify for the European Championship by scoring a goal in both playoff matches against the Czech Republic.
Rafael's partner in the U-21 strikers' squad, Stefan Kiessling, has also caught the attention of the national team coaching staff. S. Kiessling has been playing impressively not only in the Bundesliga but also in the U-21 national team this season. Moreover, the German can play not only in the striker position but also "behind the strikers." His recent performances have attracted the attention of scouts from Bayer Leverkusen and Arsenal in London, so it would not be surprising if he managed to "break through" into J. Klinsmann's national team.
