News Focus
- Mainz midfielder Nadiem Amiri has earned a place in Julian Nagelsmann’s 26-man Germany squad for the World Cup
- The player’s family recorded a video for the official announcement on Monday but kept his selection secret for several days
- Amiri discovered the news during a FaceTime call with Mainz teammate Philip Tietz
- Germany coach Julian Nagelsmann personally telephoned the midfielder to confirm his place on the team
Mainz midfielder Nadiem Amiri has described the emotional rollercoaster he experienced before learning of his World Cup selection. The 27-year-old recently secured a spot in Julian Nagelsmann’s squad for the upcoming tournament, though the wait for confirmation proved difficult.
The player’s relatives actually received early notice of the decision. Officials asked them to prepare footage for the official squad announcement video, which they filmed on Monday. However, they chose to keep this information private from Amiri, leaving him in suspense for several days.
“My family had already shot the nomination video on Monday. This means they knew days before, whereas I spent that time feeling rather miserable,” the midfielder told Bild.
Fortune struck during a casual video conversation with Mainz colleague Philip Tietz. The pair were connected via FaceTime when the Germany coach finally made contact.
“My teammate had just asked about my situation. The call came right at that moment. I placed him on hold and broke the news to him afterwards,” Amiri recalled.
The midfielder admitted the call caught him completely off guard. He felt pure joy upon hearing the news. Nagelsmann previously noted that Amiri displayed strong emotions during their conversation. The Mainz star now prepares to represent the national team on the global stage.