Arsenal’s Jens Lehmann, who recently criticised the form of Oliver Kahn, has been given the opportunity to stake his claim as Germany’s number one keeper following the decision by coach Rudi Voller to rest Kahn for the forthcoming friendly match against Belgium.
Voller has also handed a first call-up to Stuttgart goalkeeper Timo Hildebrand for next Wednesday’s match..
Captain and Bayern Munich stopper Oliver Kahn, 34, is rested for the match and Lehmann will start his first international game since August 2002.
Germany squad:
Goalkeepers: Jens Lehmann (Arsenal/ENG), Timo Hildebrand (VfB Stuttgart)
Defenders: Frank Baumann (Werder Bremen), Arne Friedrich (Hertha Berlin), Philipp Lahm (VfB Stuttgart), Jens Nowotny (Bayer Leverkusen), Christian Worns (Borussia Dortmund), Christian Rahn (SV Hamburg)
Midfielders: Michael Ballack, Jens Jeremies (both Bayern Munich), Fabian Ernst (Werder Bremen), Paul Freier (VfL Bochum), Torsten Frings, Sebastian Kehl (both Borussia Dortmund), Dietmar Hamann (Liverpool/ENG), Carsten Ramelow, Bernd Schneider (both Bayer Leverkusen), Fabian Ernst (Werder Bremen)
Forwards: Fredi Bobic (Hertha Berlin), Miroslav Klose (Kaiserslautern), Kevin Kuranyi (VfB Stuttgart), Oliver Neuville (Bayer Leverkusen)
