Mueller, Hummels surprise inclusions in Germany’s Olympic squad

BERLIN: Despite being axed from the Germany team last year, former World Cup winners Mats Hummels and Thomas Mueller are surprise contenders to feature at the Tokyo Olympics after being included on a 50-strong preliminary list of candidates for the German team.

The squad will not be finalised until June, but both Borussia Dortmund defender Hummels, 31, and Bayern Munich forward Mueller, 30, are on the extended list submitted on Wednesday by Stefan Kuntz, who will coach the German team in Tokyo.

Football at the Games, which will take place between July 24 and August 9, are contested at Under-23 level, but each team is allowed to add three older players.

Despite having played key roles in helping Germany win the 2014 World Cup in Brazil, Hummels and Mueller were dumped by head coach Joachim Loew in March after the national team failed to qualify from the group stages of the 2018 World Cup.

The German Football Association (DFB) has stipulated that no player can play at both the Euro 2020, being held across Europe between from June 12-July 12, and the Olympics. Germany have been drawn in Group F in the Euros, alongside world champions France and holders Portugal.