BERLIN: Top Germany stars Manuel Neuer, Thomas Muller and Toni Kroos were notable absentees as Joachim Loew named his squad for a friendly with the United States and a Euro 2016 qualifier with Gibraltar.

“It’s a well deserved rest with another big season coming up,” explained Loew, who used the trio to great effect in winning the 2014 World Cup.

The United States, led by former Germany coach Jurgen Klinsmann, can avenge their 1-0 first-round defeat out in Brazil when the old friends meet again in Cologne on June 10.

Three days later the world champions want three points from their Euro 2016 Group D qualifier against tiny Gibraltar as they seek to clinch a ticket to France next summer.

A point behind Poland after five games and level on ten points with Scotland and two points ahead of Ireland, Germany have found themselves in a tight pool.

Thirteen of the World Cup winning squad feature in Loew’s 20-man group named on Tuesday.

Goalkeepers: Roman Weidenfeller (Dortmund), Ron-Robert Zieler (Hanover)

Defenders: Jerome Boateng (Bayern Munich), Erik Durm (Dortmund), Jonas Hector (Cologne), Mats Hummels (Dortmund), Shkodran Mustafi (Valencia/ESP), Sebastian Rudy (Hoffenheim), Antonio R|diger (Stuttgart)

Midfield: Karim Bellarabi (Leverkusen), Ilkay G|ndogan (Dortmund), Patrick Herrmann (Munchengladbach), Sami Khedira (Real Madrid/ESP), Christoph Kramer (Munchengladbach), Mesut Ozil (Arsenal/ENG), Lukas Podolski (Inter Milan/ITA), Andre Sch|rrle (Wolfsburg), Bastian Schweinsteiger (Bayern Munich).

Strikers: Mario Gotze (Bayern Munich), Max Kruse (Munchen­gladbach).

Published in Dawn, May 27th, 2015

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