Stuttgart’s Hoeneß Confounded by Stiller’s National Team Exclusion

In a recent interview with RTL (via kicker), VfB Stuttgart head coach Sebastian Hoeneß addressed the absence of midfielder Angelo Stiller from the German national team for the upcoming international break.

Julian Nagelsmann’s announcement of the squad for the November fixtures once again excluded Stiller, alongside his teammate Maximilian Mittelstädt, marking the second consecutive break that both players were overlooked.

Given that Stiller has proven to be one of Germany’s stronger midfielders and is regarded as a crucial asset for the team’s future, his exclusion at such a pivotal moment in the World Cup cycle has left many at Stuttgart, including Hoeneß, bewildered. “I don’t know why. We were very surprised. I can only speak for Angelo; he is a central player for us and a major factor in why we’re currently in fourth place in the Bundesliga. That combination has truly puzzled us,” Hoeneß remarked.

When questioned about how he would address the situation regarding Stiller and Mittelstädt’s isolation from Nagelsmann’s selections, he noted that Leon Goretzka has been retained in Stiller’s position, with Aleksander Pavlovic, Felix Nmecha, and Nadiem Amiri joining Joshua Kimmich as options in the midfield. Additionally, Leroy Sané has been recalled to the squad, despite not having made a significant impact during his time in Turkey.

Following Stuttgart’s 2-0 victory against Feyenoord, Stiller was approached for comment regarding his exclusion from the national team but chose not to respond. In contrast, Alexander Nübel, who was selected for the national team, expressed on behalf of the entire squad, “The surprise was great throughout the entire team.”