Germany's Volland not expecting World Cup call

Bayer Leverkusen forward Kevin Volland does not hold out much hope of earning a place in Joachim Low's Germany squad for the 2018 World Cup.

Volland has started to deliver on the reported club-record €20million fee Leverkusen paid to sign him from Hoffenheim in 2016, with only Robert Lewandowski and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang outstripping his nine Bundesliga goals this season.

The 25-year-old has earned 10 Germany caps but has not featured under Low since a 0-0 friendly draw against Italy in November 2016.

While Volland would like to force his way into the squad that travels to Russia, he is unsure that aim will come to fruition.

"I do not have the biggest hopes right now. It will not be easy considering the amount of competition," Volland told Bild.

"But it would be huge to me. Everyone dreams of going to a World Cup. It will be crucial that we continue to perform well as a team.

"Of course it sounds good [to be the highest scoring German in the Bundesliga], I would be lying if I said otherwise.

"However, I am staying relaxed. I just enjoy it with this team and I can totally identify with our football."

Leverkusen sit ninth in the Bundesliga and take their nine-match unbeaten run to Stuttgart on Friday.