According to Goal.com, Klopp has called up Serge Gnabry to Germany's 44-man squad despite the forward having just returned from injury and played only 13 minutes. This decision may come as a surprise to Undav and Leroy Sané.

Last week, Klopp, Germany's new coach, announced his first squad selection, featuring 16 players earning their first national team call-up. Serge Gnabry had not played for over five months before Klopp took office.

The 31-year-old forward suffered a severe adductor muscle injury in mid-April, causing him to miss the final stages of Bayern Munich's season and the North American World Cup, as well as preseason training and the start of the new season. One day after the squad was announced, Serge Gnabry returned to action in Bayern's 7-0 victory over Union Berlin, playing 13 minutes.

Klopp's decision to include Serge Gnabry in Germany's squad demonstrates his confidence in the forward. Serge Gnabry, Schlotterbeck, Musiala, and Finn Dahmen are the only four players in the squad permitted to remain with their clubs during the international break.

Klopp's special handling of Serge Gnabry and his explanations for not selecting certain players may surprise those left out. Klopp said Undav "has not yet reached his best form of the season," which is why he was not called up. Despite dealing with a hamstring issue, Undav has still played six matches and provided four assists. As for Leroy Sané, he has played every official match for Galatasaray this season, but Klopp believes he "has not yet found his true footing."

Both Undav and Leroy Sané have failed to impress recently. Klopp's decision not to call them up and instead look for new forward talent without experience at this level is understandable. However, Serge Gnabry clearly lacks match fitness and is in poorer form than the two of them, with his physical condition far from 100%. The difference is that Klopp appears to have consistently believed that Serge Gnabry can play an important role in Germany's new era, whereas Undav and Leroy Sané, both key players at the World Cup, are not being selected at this time.

Serge Gnabry disappointingly missed the World Cup, which may not greatly affect Klopp's and fans' perception of him given this missed experience. At 31 years old, Serge Gnabry is no longer a young professional footballer. In this 44-man squad, only captain Kimmich (31) and new starting goalkeeper Marc-André ter Stegen (34) are older than him.

Serge Gnabry's recent turnaround is quite remarkable. Not long ago, he was heavily questioned in the German national team, particularly at Bayern, with external criticism regarding his high price tag and frequent injuries. Like Leroy Sané, Goretzka, and sometimes even Kimmich, Serge Gnabry was once viewed as a symbol of German football's decline.

In spring 2025, Serge Gnabry seemed likely to leave Bayern. After that, Thomas Müller moved to Vancouver, Musiala suffered a serious injury, and Bayern did not plan to spend heavily on new signings. Serge Gnabry thus got the chance to play as a true attacking midfielder and seized it.

Last season, Serge Gnabry contributed 21 goals or assists, moving freely between Kane, Olise, and Luis Díaz to add versatility to Bayern's attack. He also delivered several outstanding performances in the Champions League. When Bayern defeated Paris Saint-Germain in the Champions League group stage, Serge Gnabry played nearly flawlessly in the first half before being substituted after Díaz was sent off. He also performed well in the round of 16 against Atalanta and the semi-final against Real Madrid. In February, Serge Gnabry extended his contract with Bayern until 2028, a result that would have been hard to imagine previously.

A serious injury before a crucial period of the season disrupted Serge Gnabry's momentum. Had he maintained his domestic form in the Champions League semi-final against Paris Saint-Germain, Bayern might have achieved greater success.

Serge Gnabry has worked hard to return to play over the past several months, and competition for his preferred attacking midfielder position at Bayern has intensified. Bayern signed Ismael Saibari from Eindhoven for 50 million euros, Musiala has just returned to peak form, and Olise and Lennart Kahl can also play in midfield.

As Serge Gnabry was returning to action in the Union Berlin match, Bayern coach Vincent Kompany said: "We have not forgotten how well he performed last season." Kompany believes that if Serge Gnabry "returns to good form, other players in this position must also perform well." He also added: "In this way, we can create a better competitive atmosphere, which is what we need."

With Klopp's confidence, Serge Gnabry can continue his comeback with the German national team. He said: "For me, it is very beneficial that he called me up. It helps me maintain competitive sharpness there." Serge Gnabry could return to play in Germany's next four matches.

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