The German team was the first to qualify for Euro 2012. The world's number three is one of the favorites for the European title this time round. The German side has already won the European title three times (1972, 1980, 1996) and made it to six European finals. Here's a closer look at the 23 players in the squad.
Neuer is the number one at German behemoths Bayern Munich and also for the national team. The 26-year-old isn't just a great keeper, his throws into the field can often lead to attacking moves towards the opponent's goal.
The 30-year-old has had plenty of success with Bremen in the Bundesliga and internationally. The veteran keeper, who's not averse to taking the odd risk, is also an established benchwarmer for the national team. At club level, he is now moving to Hoffenheim.
The Hannover goalkeeper says himself that he is the third in line for the Germany spot. As a 16-year-old he managed the jump from Cologne to Manchester United. Now aged 23, one of his best traits is his calm style of play.
The gifted left footer has been playing for Bayern Munich since 2002. Useful in either central defense or as full-back - Badstuber loves to come forward and is a great set-piece taker. The 23-year-old is one of the most important players in the national team.
The son of a Ghanaian father, Boateng has had a hard road to the top. From Hertha Berlin he moved to Hamburg, then he went to Manchester City, then Bayern Munich. The 23-year-old is a dynamic, versatile player, though he prefers to play central defense.
The 24-year-old is growing as a player day by day. He is captain at Schalke and has helped the Royal Blues to the Champions League. Höwedes was U21 European champion in 2009. He's also yet another example of Germany's versatile new defensive generation, happy in the middle or out wide.
The defensive player with a good passing game started his career at Bayern Munich. The 23-year-old had his big breakthrough in Dortmund. He's already won two Bundesliga titles, and he also was European Champion with the U21 German national team in 2009.
The captain is one of the role models in the national team set-up, not just because he plays well, wherever the coach puts him in the defensive line. The 28-year-old isn't afraid to speak his mind. Recently he told German media that the treatment of former Ukrainian Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko was "not in accordance with my understanding of democracy."
The 1.98m tall defender from Arsenal is one of the first names on the team sheet for the German team. But, he has been battling fitness lately. The 27-year-old, long a mainstay with Werder Bremen, was one of the shining lights in the 2006 World Cup. But messrs. Höwedes, Hummels and Boateng are gunning for his spot.
Schmelzer, 24, is one of the newer names in Joachim Löw's squad. This season he has been one of the key defenders for Borussia Dortmund. The attacking, left wing-back was U21 European Champion with Germany in 2009 and won the Bundesliga in 2011 and 2012.
Still a teenager, Götze has been lauded as one of the players of his generation. Despite spending months injured this season, the 19-year-old played a major role in Dortmund's back-to-back titles. Some estimate his market value at the 45-million-euro mark. Dortmund reportedly rebuffed a high-profile enquiry from Arsenal coach Arsene Wenger - who seems to be a big fan of the German squad.
Khedira hails from the southwest of Germany, though he has Tunisian heritage too. As a youngster with local club Stuttgart, Khedira won the 2007 Bundesliga title. Now he can add a Spanish league title - freshly secured with Real Madrid - to his CV.
Cultured midfielder Toni Kroos joined Bayern Munich aged just 16, after leaving Rostock. He debuted for Bayern at 17, becoming the youngest player in the club's history. Now aged 22, Kroos is already a national team veteran - he went to South Africa for the 2010 World Cup. He's arguably the best set-piece taker and long-passer in all of Germany.
Born in Gelsenkirchen with Turkish roots, Gündogan might have upset his childhood friends joining Borussia Dortmund. After a slow start with the champions, the 21-year-old string-puller came into his own after Christmas and also made his Germany debut this season. Now he's been rewarded further with at least a provisional call-up.
Müller exploded onto the international scene in South Africa two summers ago. With five World Cup goals, he bagged the coveted Golden Boot award. Despite a patchy season with Bayern Munich, the multi-purpose attacker's inclusion in Löw's squad was all but guaranteed. 22-year-old Müller will join the training camp late, only after Bayern play the German Cup final and the Champions League final.
Arguably Germany's biggest star, and now one of Real Madrid's mainstays as well. Mesut Özil is still just 23, but in stints at Schalke, Werder Bremen and now in Madrid, this classic "number 10" has blossomed into one of the world's foremost playmakers.
After spearheading Mainz's surge in the 2010/11 season, Schürrle has since established himself with his new club Bayer Leverkusen, and with the national team. The 21-year-old is known for his speed on the ball, two strong feet and a powerful shot. Often one of Löw's substitutes, the youngster might just have eyes on Lukas Podolski's first team spot.
Reus' international career was littered with injury and illness-based false starts - but his Bundesliga form this season meant that excluding him would never be an option. Reus, playing as something between a midfielder and a forward, spearheaded Borussia Mönchengladbach's improbable charge to fourth with 18 league goals and 13 assists. The 22-year-old is off to Borussia Dortmund next season.
One of Germany's most capped, most decorated players - aged just 27. "Schweini" has picked up five Bundesliga titles and five German Cup titles (he's gunning for a sixth this month) with Bayern Munich. This summer he failed to win the Champions League, but he still has a chance to pick up a winner's medal in the German jersey.
Germany's Bender brothers look set to have a lasting impact on the domestic and international game. Lars, like Sven, cut his teeth at 1860 Munich - but he now plays for Bayer Leverkusen. Both the twins have been capped for Germany, but only Lars made Jogi Löw's final cut for the tournament. As they play almost identical roles, and Sven was injured for much of the season, that's little wonder.
"Prince Poldi" is Polish by birth, but every bit a citizen of Cologne. He hated his time at Bayern so much that he ran home to the Billy Goats. After failing to save them from relegation this season, he's off again - to Arsenal. Poldi has been a regular in the German team since 2004 - and he's only 26. He already has 95 caps to his name, but a new generation is gunning for his spot in the side.
One of the Bundesliga's most prolific poachers. Gomez was the top-scorer in the league last season, and was just pipped by red-hot Dutchman Klaas-Jan Huntelaar this time out. Still, 26 league goals is hardly a poor effort. His scoring quota is notably lower, however, in a German jersey - something Gomez would surely love to change in June and perhaps even on July 1.
Now plying his trade for Lazio in Rome, 33-year-old Miroslav Klose is Germany's oldest player. He's also just six goals away from eclipsing Gerd Müller as the highest scoring Germany player ever. Klose has been known to score that many in a single tournament before, and Löw will have a tough job choosing between the physical presence of Gomez and Klose's superior teamplay.
Germany coach Joachim Löw is optimistic that his team is ready for the Euro 2012 in Poland and Ukraine (June 8 until July 1).
The final German team squad for the EURO 2012 in Poland and Ukraine has been announced.
The final German team squad for the EURO 2012 in Poland and Ukraine has been announced.
