Germany World Cup 2018 squad and team guide

 Germany's forward Thomas Mueller, forward Joshua Kimmich and midfielder Leon Goretzka take part in a training session of the German national football team at the Rungghof training center in Girlan, near Bolzano, northern Italy
Champions in 2014 - will Germany do it again in the coming weeks? Credit: Getty Images

Here we take a look at Germany's World Cup squad and the other things it will be handy to know about the Group F challengers.

Germany's World Cup preliminary squad - the 27 names

Goalkeepers: Bernd Leno (Leverkusen), Manuel Neuer (Bayern), Marc-Andre ter Stegen (Barcelona), Kevin Trapp (PSG)

Defenders: Jerome Boateng (Bayern), Matthias Ginter (Gladbach), Jonas Hector (Cologne), Mats Hummels (Bayern), Joshua Kimmich (Bayern), Marvin Plattenhardt (Hertha), Antonio Rüdiger (Chelsea), Niklas Süle (Bayern), Jonathan Tah (Leverkusen)

Midfielders: Julian Brandt (Leverkusen), Julian Draxler (PSG), Leon Goretzka (Schalke), Ilkay Gündogan (Man City), Sami Khedira (Juventus), Toni Kroos (Real Madrid), Mesut Özil (Arsenal), Sebastian Rudy (Bayern)

Forwards: Mario Gomez (Stuttgart), Thomas Müller (Bayern), Nils Petersen (Freiburg) Marco Reus (Dortmund), Leroy Sane (Man City), Timo Werner (Leipzig)

What odds are Germany to win the World Cup?

9/2

Who's the coach?

Joachim Low, who has “issued a sex ban” to his players for the duration the World Cup. Excellent coach, serial touchline nose-picker.

Who's the star?

Quality throughout, but the intelligent, metronomic and stylish Toni Kroos of Real Madrid is perhaps the most vital cog.

Joachim Loew has a squad full of quality, making Germany the favourites for this summer's tournament Credit: Getty Images

Best thing about them

Serial winners: they are the champions, and holders of the Confederations Cup as well. Went unbeaten in 2017.

Worst thing about them

Other than having to face them on penalties? Talismanic goalkeeper Manuel Neuer is only just on the way back from a serious foot injury.

You may recognise…

The familiar sight of men with bad hair celebrating uproariously? Or perhaps Manchester City’s wonderful Leroy Sane, who is pushing hard to start.

Cameramen will be picking out…

The sad face of Mario Götze, who scored the winner in the Final against Argentina four years ago, but is not even in the squad this time. Only 25.

Fans' favourite chant

“Deutschland vor, noch ein Tor”.

Translates as “Germans attack, score one more goal.”

On-field prediction

Strongly fancied to get to der businessende yet again.

Off-field prediction

Hopefully having a lovely jolly time and nobody mentioning the War.