Manuel Neuer, Thomas Muller and Toni Kroos have all been left out of Joachim Low's Germany squad for a friendly against the USA on June 10 and a Euro 2016 qualifier at Gibraltar three days later.
Thirteen World Cup winners have been called up to the squad for Germany's final two games of the post-World Cup season, but Bayern duo Muller and Neuer -- along with Real Madrid midfielder Kroos and injury-prone Borussia Dortmund attacker Marco Reus -- will not take part in the friendly against Jurgen Klinsmann's U.S. side in Cologne.
"I could bank on Thomas and Toni in the past, and both have them have abundant merits for DFB and the Nationalmannschaft," Low told the official DFB website. "They have deserved a break.
"I made that the decision also looking ahead to the upcoming season, with the European Championships in France to be played at the end of it."
#Löw nominates 20 players for #DFBTeam internationals vs. USA (10th June) & Gibraltar (13th June). #GERUSA #GIBGER pic.twitter.com/TTiHM84nlF
- Germany (@DFB_Team_EN) May 26, 2015
Of Neuer's absence, Low said: "Our team doctor Hans-Wilhelm Muller-Wohlfahrt informed us that Manuel currently can't train and play without pain. The long season has left its traces."
With Marc-Andre ter Stegen and Bernd Leno both named in the Germany under-21 European Championship squad, BVB's Roman Weidenfeller and Hannover's Ron-Robert Zieler are set to share duties in goal.
Dortmund's Reus and Schalke youngster Julian Draxler still cannot plan their holidays as they could be called up in the event of injuries ahead of June 7, when the Nationalmannschaft meets up in Cologne.
Borussia Monchengladbach winger Patrick Herrmann -- one of the star players of the Bundesliga season -- has been called up for the second time and could make his Germany debut, while Stuttgart defender Antonio Rudiger also returns.
Germany host the USMNT on June 10 and then travel to Faro, where the Nationalmannschaft will take on European minnows Gibraltar for their final match of the season.
13 World Champions have been selected in the squad for the games against the USA & Gibraltar: http://t.co/JTPvkqgl4p pic.twitter.com/0Gc61YqHok
- Germany (@DFB_Team_EN) May 26, 2015
Ahead of the meeting with former Germany coach Klinsmann, Low said that the duels "continue to have a special note," adding: "I am looking forward to the meeting Jurgen again. It's an important test for us ahead of the remaining fixtures in the European qualifiers.
"Everyone knows how ambitious Jurgen is -- he will prepare his team well and wants to make a good impression in his homeland."
Germany have struggled early on in their Euro 2016 qualifying group and sit third on 10 points, one point behind Poland and on equal points with Scotland.
Goalkeepers: Roman Weidenfeller (Borussia Dortmund), Ron-Robert Zieler (Hannover)
Defenders: Jerome Boateng (Bayern Munich), Erik Durm (Dortmund), Jonas Hector (Cologne), Mats Hummels (Dortmund), Shkodran Mustafi (Valencia), Sebastian Rudy (Hoffenheim), Antonio Rudiger (Stuttgart)
Midfielders and attackers: Karim Bellarabi (Bayer Leverkusen), Mario Gotze (Bayern), Ilkay Gundogan (Dortmund), Patrick Herrmann (Gladbach), Sami Khedira (Real Madrid), Christoph Kramer (Gladbach), Max Kruse (Gladbach), Mesut Ozil (Arsenal), Lukas Podolski (Inter), André Schurrle (Wolfsburg), Bastian Schweinsteiger (Bayern)