"They all deserved it more": Dietmar Hamann has strongly criticised the DFB’s selection of Leroy Sané – and believes three other players should have been chosen ahead of the Galatasaray star

Leroy Sane has regained his place in national team manager Julian Nagelsmann’s squad and stands a good chance of making the World Cup squad. Dietmar Hamann takes a very critical view of this.

Former Germany international Dietmar Hamann is surprised that national team manager Julian Nagelsmann has included Galatasaray forward Leroy Sane in the squad for the upcoming friendlies at the end of March.

Hamann told Sky on Saturday that he had been “very surprised” that Sane had been called up to the DFB squad announced on Thursday. He also referred to comments made by Nagelsmann a few months ago: "The national team manager did say that the Turkish league isn’t at the same level as the German or other European leagues – and that it wouldn’t be easy for him (Sane, ed.)."

When the national coach did not select Sane for the World Cup qualifiers in September, he explained his decision to leave out the big name, among other things, by saying that following his move from FC Bayern to Galatasaray in Turkey, Sane had not yet impressed as much as he had hoped: “He is now playing in a league that is a tad worse than the Bundesliga or other top European leagues. And I think he needs to stand out a bit more there," explained Nagelsmann.

Sane was also absent from the squad for the qualifying matches in October, but he returned in November, starting in both games and impressing most of all in the resounding 6-0 victory in the decisive match against Slovakia, scoring two goals and providing an assist.

DFB squad: Hamann favours El Mala, Beier and Adeyemi over Sane

Nevertheless, Hamann cannot understand why Sane has been nominated again, given the alternatives available for the attacking wide positions. “We have El Mala, we have Adeyemi, we have Beier. I think they’d all deserve it more than Leroy Sane. It’s incomprehensible to me,” emphasised the 52-year-old, who made 59 international appearances for Germany between 1997 and 2005.

After a brief spell of form, things haven’t really gone Sane’s way at club level recently. In his last 13 appearances, he has contributed to just two goals directly with two assists; in early February, ankle problems had sidelined him. Furthermore, Sane has not always been in Galatasaray’s starting line-up recently; for example, he spent the full 90 minutes on the bench in the Champions League round of 16 first leg against Liverpool FC (1-0) and was only brought on in the second half of the return leg at Anfield (0-4).

Of the alternatives mentioned by Hamann, Maximilian Beier has stood out in recent weeks as a prime candidate for a place in the national squad; the 23-year-old is a regular starter at Borussia Dortmund and has recently been consistently providing goals or assists. According to Nagelsmann, Beier and his BVB teammate Karim Adeyemi – who currently usually has to settle for a place behind the former at the club – are competing with Kevin Schade of Brentford FC for one or two places in the World Cup squad. “As things stand today, we will take one, at most two, of these counter-attacking strikers,” said Nagelsmann at Thursday’s press conference.

He went on to explain: “One of the three, perhaps two, will ultimately make the cut. But they all have the same chances. Kevin just has the advantage right now of being able to show what he can do with us. But the others had that advantage before him too.” Beier was part of the German squad in September and October, whilst Adeyemi was even nominated by Nagelsmann for each of the last five call-up periods. Schade was called up as a late addition in October, but was not included in the squad for the matches against Luxembourg (4-0) and Northern Ireland (1-0). In November, the 24-year-old came on as a substitute against Luxembourg (2-0), and now, in the absence of Beier and Adeyemi, he has the chance to prove himself in the two friendlies against Switzerland (27 March) and Ghana (30 March).

Julian Nagelsmann believes Leroy Sane has a good chance of making the World Cup squad

Meanwhile, El Mala had been called up to the senior national team for the first time in November, but had not yet made his international debut and was subsequently called up to the U21s. The Cologne rising star is now set to play for the U21s again at the end of March, though Nagelsmann would like to see El Mala secure a regular starting place at FC first. In Cologne, the 19-year-old is not yet a guaranteed starter, but he still features regularly and usually impresses, whilst also boasting good statistics in terms of direct goal contributions.

Sane offers the greatest potential and the best quality currently available compared to his rivals. Furthermore, the 30-year-old’s good standing with Nagelsmann and his vast wealth of experience from many years at top clubs such as Manchester City and Bayern, as well as 72 international caps, speak in his favour. “He naturally now has the chance to prove himself and is in pole position. He probably has a better chance than the others who aren’t currently in the squad,” said Hamann, referring to Germany’s squad for the World Cup this summer.

Nagelsmann, however, had already spoken of Sane’s good World Cup prospects in a kicker interview back in early March. “We don’t have many players with his profile who often cut inside from the right wing. If he stays fit, he can be a very important player for us,” said the national coach about the attacking midfielder. Pierre Littbarski, a 1990 World Cup winner, had recently expressed doubts about Sane’s World Cup nomination: “I wouldn’t take Leroy Sane because he isn’t delivering the performance needed to become world champion,” Littbarski told Sport1.