Horst Hrubesch, Germany's interim coach, has announced a list of 23 players for the next two 2019 World Cup qualifiers. The Mannschaft will face the Czech Republic on 7 April and Slovenia on 10 April. In this list, we note the wound returns of Melanie Leupolz (picture in one), Kristin Demann and Turid Knaak.

As the parenthesis of the SheBelieves Cup is closed, Germany must now turn to its playoff campaign for the next World Cup. Horst Hrubesch, appointed interim coach after the sacking of Steffi Jones, has released on Wednesday his very first list. Twenty-three players were chosen to face the Czech Republic and Slovenia.

In this list, we note the returns of Melanie Leupolz, Kristin Demann (Bayern Munich) and Turid Knaak (SGS Essen). These three players had not participated in the SheBelieves Cup in March because of injury. For example, the last time Knaak played with the Mannschaft was on April 9, 2017 in a friendly against Canada (2-1).

On the other hand, Hrubesch could not count on six essential players to the German team because of injuries. They are defender Babett Peter (Wolfsburg) and Carolin Simon (SC Freiburg), midfielders Tabea Kemme (FFC Turbine Potsdam) and Simone Laudehr (Bayern Munich), and finally forward Hasret Kayikci (SC Freiburg) and Pauline Bremer (Manchester City).

Lena Goessling celebrating the 100th

This list is also marked by the presence of Lena Goessling. For having already worn the Mannschaft jersey 100 times, the Wolfsburg midfielder will also be entitled to a tribute ceremony, just before kick-off of the match against the Czech Republic. As for SGS Essen striker Linda Dallmann, also present in the list, she will receive the prize of best German player of the year 2017.

Admittedly, the elimination campaign of Germany has not been perfect so far. One thinks in particular of the surprise defeat 2-3 against Iceland last October. But the Mannschaft currently ranks first in its group. Hrubesch and his players will have the ambition to win the next two games against the Czechs and Slovenes, they had already beaten (respectively 1-0 and 6-0). A way to make a big step towards the next World Cup, which will take place in France (from June 7 to July 7, 2019).

After these two games, Germany will play Canada on June 10 in a friendly match. Finally, it will play these last two matches of the World Cup qualifiers on 1 September in Iceland and 4 September in the Faroe Islands.