Reigning champions Germany have made the stunning decision to leave Manchester City winger Leroy Sane out of their squad for World Cup 2018.
The 22-year-old is coming off the back of an impressive season at club level which saw him collect a Premier League and Carabao Cup double.
Sane contributed 14 goals to the City cause during a record-breaking campaign, while also providing 17 assists across English top-flight and Champions League competition.
He will, however, play no part for his country in Russia this summer after being cut from Joachim Low’s 27-man preliminary party.
With that selection narrowed down to 23 ahead of the defence of a global crown, Germany have opted to favour the likes of Julian Draxler and Sebastian Rudy.
“Draxler, Reus and Müller are set. Leroy has a huge talent. He will be back again from Sept,” Low said.
“He had not arrived in international matches yet. It was a very close decision. If it was a 100-metre race, it would have been a photo finish.”
Alongside Sane, Bayer Leverkusen duo Bernd Leno and Jonathan also miss out, as does Freiburg striker Nils Petersen.
Germany’s World Cup 2018 squad in full:
Goalkeepers: Manuel Neuer (Bayern Munich), Marc-Andre ter Stegen (Barcelona), Kevin Trapp (PSG)
Defenders: Jerome Boateng (Bayern Munich), Mats Hummels (Bayern Munich), Niklas Sule (Bayern Munich), Antonio Rudiger (Chelsea), Matthias Ginter (Borussia Monchengladbach), Jonas Hector (Koln), Joshua Kimmich (Bayern Munich), Marvin Plattenhardt (Hertha Berlin)
Midfielders: Toni Kroos (Real Madrid), Sami Khedira (Juventus), Ilkay Gundogan (Manchester City), Leon Goretzka (Schalke), Sebastian Rudy (Bayern Munich), Mesut Ozil (Arsenal), Thomas Muller (Bayern Munich), Julian Brandt (Bayer Leverkusen), Julian Draxler (PSG), Marco Reus (Borussia Dortmund)
Forwards: Mario Gomez (Stuttgart), Timo Werner (RB Leipzig)
Source:Wires