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Guendogan gets Germany call-up for Brazil game
Posted Thursday, August 04, 2011 by YAHOO Sport

FRANKFURT, Germany (AP)—Germany coach Joachim Loew called up newcomer Ilkay Guendogan for next week’s friendly against Brazil while giving a rest to Real Madrid midfielders Mesut Oezil and Sami Khedira.

Guendogan is a 20-year-old midfielder of Turkish background—like Oezil— who moved from Nuremberg to Bundesliga champion Borussia Dortmund in the offseason.

“I decided long ago that I would play for Germany,” said Guendogan, who could have chosen to pay for Turkey.

Loew said Guendogan has been developing well and is a very talented player.

“It’s a good opportunity to get to know him at the start of the European Championship season,” Loew said.

Germany has all but qualified for next year’s tournament in Poland and Ukraine.

Loew had to name his squad before the Bundesliga season kicks off this weekend and he did not invite any other newcomers for Wednesday’s match in Stuttgart.

Central defender Per Mertesacker of Werder Bremen has returned for his club but Loew said it was still early to have him on national team duty after a long-term leg injury.

Oezil and Khedira have been on a tour of the United States and China and Loew said he decided to give them time to recover.

Brazilian-born forward Cacau was called back for the first time since the end of 2010.

Standings
    Rank Team W/D/L Pts

    Cities & Stadiums

    The Top 3 Teams of Previous Tournaments

    Year Winners Runner-up Third place
    2008SpainGermanyRussia / Turkey
    2004GreecePortugalNetherlands / Czech Republic
    2000FranceItalyNetherlands / Portugal
    1996GermanyCzech RepublicFrance / England
    1992DenmarkGermanyNetherlands / Sweden
    1988NetherlandsSoviet UnionItaly / West Germany
    1984FranceSpainDenmark / Portugal
    1980West GermanyBelgiumCzechoslovakia
    1976CzechoslovakiaWest GermanyNetherlands
    1972West GermanySoviet UnionBelgium
    1968ItalyYugoslaviaEngland
    1964SpainSoviet UnionHungary
    1960Soviet UnionYugoslaviaCzechoslovakia