Germany squad to face England in Berlin

Loew told Frings last week he could still be "an important part of the national team" after the player apologised for comments he had made in the media following his exclusion from Germany's last two starting line-ups.

However there was no place for the 31-year-old in the 20-man squad named by Loew on Thursday for the friendly match at Berlin's Olympic stadium next Wednesday.

The German football federation (DFB) said in a statement that Loew and Frings had agreed on the player's omission ahead of the squad announcement.

In their place Loew has called up three debutants with Hoffenheim team-mates Marvin Compper and Tobias Weis, and Wolfsburg's Marcel Schaefer in line for first caps.

"We want to use the last game of the year to again try out one or two things and get some impressions for next year," Loew was quoted as saying in the DFB statement.

The Germany coach said last week the friendly was too important as a means of giving international match practice to Lehmann's young successors.