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After finishing runners-up at the Rio Olympics in 2016, Germany will hope to go one step further at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics and win the gold.
German team boss Stefan Kuntz has quality young players and wily old heads at his disposal, so they are definitely one of the favourites to claim top honors.
So without further ado, let’s take a look at five German players to watch out for at the Tokyo Olympics:
#5 Max Arnold
Max Arnold is still only 27, but it seems like he has been around for a while. The central midfielder elevated his game last season and played a key role for Wolfsburg as they finished in the top four to secure Champions League football.
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For the quality he possesses, Arnold is yet to really make a big impact on the international stage. His only notable achievement came with the German Under-21 team when they won the European Championship in 2017.
The midfielder was handed his senior debut in 2014, but has only made a solitary appearance for Die Mannschaft.
Arnold is at the peak of his powers, and is expected to play a key role for the Olympic team in Tokyo. If he can find some good form heading into the new season, he will perhaps be able to kick on and impress Hansi Flick.
#4 Keven Schlotterbeck
Schlotterbeck’s consistent displays for Freiburg have earned him a call-up at the Tokyo Olympics and he will hope to make the most of his opportunity.
Still only 24, Schlotterbeck will hope to catch new German senior team boss Hansi Flick’s attention by putting in some solid displays.
The Germans have tough games coming up and if they can put in some good displays at the back with Schlotterbeck at the heart, the 24-year-old’s stock will rise.
There’s a lot to play for even though Olympic football isn’t often taken seriously as a benchmark. The German senior team needs new defensive players, and Schlotterbeck has the chance to make a mark in the coming weeks.
Also read: Tokyo Olympics 2020 - Top 5 Brazil stars to watch out for
#3 Cedric Teuchert
Cedric Teuchert hasn’t quite set the Bundesliga on fire with his displays in front of goal, but his performances for the youth teams have always been solid.
Having played regularly under Urs Fischer at Union Berlin last season, Teuchert will be a key player for the German side at the Tokyo Olympics. Teuchert is predominantly a centre-forward but he can also play on the wings if needed.
He managed three goals and one assist in the Bundesliga last season for Union Berlin and will hope to put in some good displays at the Olympics before heading into the new domestic season.
#2 Nadiem Amiri
A versatile midfielder, Nadiem Amiri will be part of the core of the German Under-23 team at the Tokyo Olympics.
Amiri first rose to prominence a couple of years ago when his performances for Hoffenheim and then Bayern Leverkusen impressed then-German senior team coach Joachim Low.
The 24-year-old hasn’t been able to kick on since then, but the Olympics will give him the opportunity to lay down a marker.
Amiri will soon approach the peak years of his career, and he needs to have a good tournament. Leverkusen have appointed a new manager in Gerardo Seoane, so it won't be a surprise if Amiri plays with a bit of verve to impress his new club coach.
The 24-year-old is a central midfielder who likes going forward, and managed two goals and six assists in the Bundesliga last season.
#1 Max Kruse
It’s been a while since Max Kruse put on the German national team jersey. At 33, he is no longer at his peak, but he continues to impress.
Kruse last featured for the senior team in 2015, so the chance to play in the Olympics could possibly be his last hurrah on the international stage.
Kruse played an important role for Union Berlin last season as they survived relegation and finished in a respectable seventh in the league. The 33-year-old featured 22 times for the club in the Bundesliga and managed 11 goals and five assists.
The forward’s game was never about pace, and he showed last season that he has a tremendous footballing brain. Kruse linked up well with the rest of his attackers, and was at times the creative heartbeat of his side.
German Olympic team coach Stefan Kuntz will hope Kruse can play a similar role for the side in Tokyo and combine well with Teuchert, who is also his teammate at Union Berlin.
