Germany announce final World Cup squad, with Manuel Neuer, without Leroy Sané

Joachim Löw confirmed his final 23-man squad for the 2018 Football World Cup. Manuel Neuer travels to Russia as Germany's first-choice goalkeeper while Bernd Leno, Jonathan Tah, Leroy Sané and Nils Petersen are left out.

After months of speculation, Bayern Munich's Manuel Neuer will travel to Russia as Germany's number one goalkeeper despite having only come back from an eight-month injury lay-off in Saturday's friendly defeat to Austria.

Manchester City winger Leroy Sané was a surprise omission after enjoying an impressive season with the English Premier League champions with Löw opting instead for Bayer Leverkusen's Julian Brandt.

However, Brandt's club teammates Bernd Leno and Jonathan Tah, along with Freiburg striker Nils Petersen, will not travel to Russia.

Petersen was a surprise inclusion in Löw's provisional squad after an impressive season for his club, but the head coach has opted for RB Leipzig's Timo Werner and Stuttgart's Mario Gomez up front.

"There are certainly easier days in the life of a national team head coach than the day where I have to send four players home, four players who had merited their place in the provisional squad through their performances," said Löw at a press conference in Eppan, South Tyrol, where the team has been training.

"I spoke to the four players and the disappointment was huge, as you would expect. It's as if you are stood at the check in desk for your flight to Moscow, but are then prevented from boarding."

Confirmed: Germany's final squad for the 2018 World Cup:

Goalkeepers

Manuel Neuer
Marc-André ter Stegen
Kevin Trapp

Defenders

Joshua Kimmich
Mats Hummels
Jerome Boateng
Niklas Süle
Antonio Rüdiger
Jonas Hector
Marvin Plattenhardt
Matthias Ginter

Midfielders/forwards

Toni Kroos
Sami Khedira
Ilkay Gündogan
Sebastian Rudy
Julian Draxler
Thomas Müller
Mesut Özil
Marco Reus
Julian Brandt
Leon Goretzka

Strikers

Timo Werner
Mario Gomez