Germany starts on Wednesday
National coach Gislason cuts player duo from World Cup squad
01/11/2025 – 10:45 p.mReading time: 2 minutes
National coach Alfred Gislason is relying on 17 players for the World Cup. One duo was deleted, but can be re-nominated.
The German national handball team is traveling to the World Cup in Denmark without Tim Zechel and Joel Birlehm. National coach Alfred Gislason decided not to include the duo in the final World Cup squad, but is keeping the option open to nominate both of them.
Goalkeeper Birlehm (TSV Hannover-Burgdorf) remains on call during the tournament in Germany. If one of the two current goalkeepers, Andreas Wolff or David Späth, is unavailable, Birlehm could be included in the squad. Circular Zechel (SC Magdeburg), who was originally nominated because Jannik Kohlbacher was injured, was also left out after the dress rehearsal against Brazil (28:26) in Hamburg.
Gislason is relying on a 17-man squad in the preliminary round. Before each game this has to be reduced to 16 players. In addition, the national coach can make up to five changes to players from the expanded 35-man squad during the tournament.
The German team will first face Poland in preliminary group A in Herning (Wednesday, 8.30 p.m., ARD). This is followed by the games against Switzerland (January 17th, 8:30 p.m., ZDF) and the Czech Republic (January 19th, 6 p.m., ARD). The best three teams in the group advance to the main round, which will also take place at the Jyske Bank Boxen in Herning.
On Monday, the DHB team will travel by bus to Silkeborg, Denmark, after a training session and lunch together. From there, the team prepares for the challenges ahead.
The final World Cup squad of the German national team:
Goal: Andreas Wolff (THW Kiel), David Späth (Rhein-Neckar Löwen)
Field: Rune Dahmke (THW Kiel), Justus Fischer (TSV Hannover-Burgdorf), Johannes Golla (SG Flensburg-Handewitt), Marko Grgić (ThSV Eisenach), Timo Kastening (MT Melsungen), Juri Knorr (Rhein-Neckar Löwen), Julian Köster (VfL Gummersbach), Nils Lichtlein (Füchse Berlin), Lukas Mertens (SC Magdeburg), Franz Semper (SC DHfK Leipzig), Christoph Steinert (HC Erlangen), Lukas Stutzke (TSV Hannover-Burgdorf), Renārs Uščins (TSV Hannover-Burgdorf), Luca Witzke (SC DHfK Leipzig), Lukas Zerbe (THW Kiel).