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Germany calls up Cologne’s teenage star Said El Mala for World Cup qualifiers

Germany calls up Cologne's teenage star Said El Mala for World Cup qualifiers | iNFOnews.ca
Cologne's Said El Mala celebrates after his team scored the 4th goal during the German Bundesliga soccer match between 1. FC Koeln and Hamburger SV in Cologne, Germany, Sunday, Nov. 2, 2025. (AP Photo/Martin Meissner)

BERLIN (AP) — Germany has chosen Cologne teenager Said El Mala in the squad for World Cup qualifiers against Luxembourg and Slovakia.

The 19-year-old El Mala has impressed with four goals and two assists in nine Bundesliga appearances, mostly as a substitute, this season. He has played for Germany underage teams.

“Said El Mala should display all his carefree and unburdened play to us,” coach Julian Nagelsmann said on Thursday. “We’re keeping an eye on the talents from the under-21 team and, after consulting with (coach) Toni Di Salvo, we want to give them the opportunity to showcase themselves with the senior team from time to time.”

Nagelsmann also recalled former Bayern Munich winger Leroy Sané, now playing with Turkish team Galatasaray, and Newcastle United defender Malick Thiaw following his switch from AC Milan.

Eintracht Frankfurt defender Robin Koch was dropped, while Bayer Leverkusen’s Robert Andrich, Stuttgart’s Angelo Stiller and Maximilian Mittelstädt, as well as Borussia Dortmund’s Maximilian Beier were not called up.

Germany faces Luxembourg away on Nov. 14, then Slovakia in Leipzig three days later. Slovakia surprised Germany with a 2-0 win in their opening qualifying game and both teams have nine points in Group A. Only the group winner qualifies directly for next summer’s tournament.

Germany

Goalkeepers: Noah Atubolu (Freiburg), Oliver Baumann (Hoffenheim), Finn Dahmen (Augsburg), Alexander Nübel (Stuttgart)

Defenders: Waldemar Anton (Borussia Dortmund) Ridle Baku (Leipzig), Nathaniel Brown (Eintracht Frankfurt), David Raum (Leipzig), Nico Schlotterbeck (Borussia Dortmund), Jonathan Tah (Bayern Munich), Malick Thiaw (Newcastle United)

Midfielders: Nadiem Amiri (Mainz), Leon Goretzka (Bayern Munich), Joshua Kimmich (Bayern Munich), Felix Nmecha (Borussia Dortmund), Aleksandar Pavlović (Bayern Munich)

Forwards: Karim Adeyemi (Borussia Dortmund), Jonathan Burkardt (Eintracht Frankfurt), Said El Mala (Cologne), Serge Gnabry (Bayern Munich), Jamie Leweling (Stuttgart), Leroy Sané (Galatasaray), Kevin Schade (Brentford), Florian Wirtz (Liverpool), Nick Woltemade (Newcastle United)

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AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer

Germany calls up Cologne's teenage star Said El Mala for World Cup qualifiers | iNFOnews.ca
Cologne’s Said El Mala celebrates after his team scored the 4th goal during the German Bundesliga soccer match between 1. FC Koeln and Hamburger SV in Cologne, Germany, Sunday, Nov. 2, 2025. (AP Photo/Martin Meissner)

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