ESPN's lead Bundesliga commentator Derek Rae breaks down how the domestic league has built the foundation for Germany's World Cup squad, and he looks ahead to the round of fixtures that will close out the club calendar year.
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We had known for a while that Thursday would be decision day for Die Nationalmannschaft manager Hansi Flick, but there were always likely to be heartwarming stories for some and unwelcome surprises for others.
In attack, Germany have been searching for a top-echelon solution for several years, and Flick has decided to pick two in-form players at opposite ends of the age spectrum who weren't necessarily on the radar a few months ago.