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Jurgen Klinsmann, the head coach of the Germany national team, announced the final squad for the World Cup. The biggest surprise in the list of 23 players is 22-year-old Borussia defender David Odonkor, for whom it will be his first match in the Germany national team lineup. Meanwhile, there was no place in the national team for the previously regular "Schalke" players Kevin Kuranyi and Fabian Ernst. Klinsmann named Michael Ballack, who officially transferred to Chelsea in London today, as the team's main player. Also invited to the national team are Thomas Hitzsperger, who currently represents Stuttgart, and young Wolfsburg striker Mike Hanke. The latter received an invitation despite being unable to play in the first two matches due to disqualification. At home, the Germans will start the World Cup in Group A alongside the national teams of Costa Rica, Poland, and Ecuador. Germany national team squad: Goalkeepers: Jens Lehmann (Arsenal) Oliver Kahn (Bayern) Timo Hildebrand (Stuttgart) Defenders: Arne Friedrich (Hertha) Robert Huth (Chelsea) Marcell Jansen (Gladbach) Philipp Lahm (Bayern) Per Mertesacker (Hannover) Christoph Metzelder (Borussia) Jens Nowotny (Bayer) Midfielders: Michael Ballack (Bayern) Tim Borowski (Werder) Torsten Frings (Werder) Thomas Hitzlsperger (Stuttgart) Sebastian Kehl (Borussia) David Odonkor (Borussia) Bernd Scheider (Bayer) Bastian Schweinsteiger (Bayern) Forwards: Gerald Asamoah (Schalke) Mike Hanke (Wolfsburg) Miroslav Klose (Werder) Oliver Neuville (Gladbach) Lukas Podolski (Koln)
