Nagelsmann Calls Up Burkardt for Nations League Clash

Germany's national team coach, Julian Nagelsmann, has made a strategic addition to his squad by calling up Mainz forward Jonathan Burkardt for pivotal Nations League matchups. This move comes as Stuttgart's Angelo Stiller exits due to an unresolved ankle injury.

The team is set to convene at its Herzogenaurach training base on Friday, shifting gears for the Nations League semifinal against Portugal in Munich. Depending on the outcome, Germany will then compete in either the final or the third-place playoff against Spain or France.

Burkardt, at 24, has shown his mettle with three national caps and an impressive 18-goal Bundesliga season, marking him as the top German scorer. Meanwhile, Stiller, who was instrumental in Stuttgart's recent German Cup victory, will miss the action as doctors assess his lingering injury issues.

(With inputs from agencies.)