Sebastian Hoeneß expects Deniz Undav, Angelo Stiller and Jamie Leweling to return to Germany contention if their Stuttgart form improves, while four VfB players have been selected for Jürgen Klopp’s expanded Nations League groups.
Key takeaways
- Undav missed Klopp’s squad after an uneven start to the season and Achilles tendon complaints.
- Stiller and Leweling were also left out, but Hoeneß sees a route back for all three players.
- Josha Vagnoman and Chris Führich are in the group for Netherlands and Greece.
- Finn Jeltsch and Maximilian Mittelstädt will be involved for fixtures against Serbia and Greece.
- Klopp has named 44 players across two groups for four international matches.
Hoeneß backs Stuttgart’s omitted internationals
Speaking before Saturday’s Bundesliga meeting with Borussia Dortmund at 18:30, Hoeneß accepted the reasoning behind Undav’s omission. The striker has scored nine goals in 13 Germany appearances and delivered three goals plus two assists in four World Cup matches this summer, but has not yet found his best club rhythm.
Undav has also been managing minor physical issues, including an Achilles problem. Hoeneß said the forward knows he can perform better and reported no unusual response when the pair discussed Klopp’s decision. Their conversation, he said, was constructive.
Klopp chose four centre-forwards for this Nations League window and described the selection as a decision for the present, not a final judgement. Hoeneß took the same view. Undav’s qualities remain clear, and the Stuttgart coach expects him to come back into the frame over time.
Hoeneß made a similar case for Stiller. He had hoped that Undav, Stiller or Leweling would make the squad, but said Stiller has repeatedly shown the level needed for international football and possesses attributes useful to any team.
The message to Stiller, Undav and Leweling is straightforward: perform consistently for Stuttgart. Hoeneß believes they will naturally return to the national-team shop window if they do so. He also said Klopp came across better than he had two months ago.
Jeltsch’s rapid step up
Hoeneß was particularly pleased for Jeltsch, the 20-year-old defender who won both the Under-17 World Cup and European Championship. Jeltsch joined Stuttgart from second-tier Nürnberg in 2025 and is now the club’s latest new senior international.
The coach said the call-up had always appeared a matter of time because Jeltsch has the complete package and is keen to learn. Even so, the speed of his rise has impressed Stuttgart. Hoeneß hopes he receives minutes, which would give the club another early-season example of a player developed into an international.
Vagnoman and Führich are scheduled for the first section of the break, covering Netherlands and Greece. Jeltsch and Mittelstädt follow in the second group for Serbia and the trip to Greece. Hoeneß welcomed that split, as Stuttgart will have only two players away in each phase.
He called Klopp’s 44-man, two-group model interesting and sensible. The national coach has limited time with the team and wants to assess as many players as possible across the four fixtures.
SEO title: Sebastian Hoeneß on Stuttgart’s Germany call-ups and omissions
SEO description: Sebastian Hoeneß discusses Deniz Undav, Angelo Stiller, Jamie Leweling and Finn Jeltsch after Jürgen Klopp named his Nations League groups.
