Three Chelsea Women have been named in the provisional Germany squad for the upcoming Women’s World Cup in Australia and New Zealand, which gets underway in July.
Ann-Katrin Berger and Melanie Leupolz have been included in the provisional 28-player squad for the tournament, which will be trimmed to 23 at a later date, alongside new signing Sjoeke Nusken who will officially join her compatriots at the Blues on July 1 from Eintracht Frankfurt.
Berger enjoyed a hugely successful season in blue and finished in the top three for the FIFA Best Women’s Goalkeeper award. Leupolz was a welcome re-addition to the squad when she returned to competitive action in January, having been on maternity leave after giving birth last October.
Germany’s latest preparations for the tournament included a narrow 1-0 victory over the Netherlands in April, where Berger and Nusken both featured. This was followed by a 2-1 defeat to Brazil with Berger and Leupolz getting important minutes on that occasion.
The draw for the finals this summer placed Germany in Group H alongside Morocco, Colombia and South Korea. Martina Voss-Tecklenburg and her side begin their group stage campaign against Morocco on July 24 in Melbourne, with kick-off scheduled for 9.30am (UK time)
Germany group stage fixtures
Germany v Morocco, Monday 24 July, 9.30am (UK time), Melbourne.
Germany v Colombia, Sunday 30 July, 10.30am (UK time), Sydney.
South Korea v Germany, Thursday 3 August, 11am (UK time), Brisbane.