The call-up will come as a boost to Huth, who last appeared for Germany at the end of last season on their tour of Asia, as he looks to win a place in the 23-strong World Cup party. Germany coach Joachim Low said: "The 30-man squad includes players who have played a role in our team in recent months and younger players who have the potential to be in the national team beyond the 2010 World Cup. "This group and those players who have had to decline the invitation to the meeting in Stuttgart will be observed intensely over the coming months. "Of course the door is not closed on any other candidates for the World Cup, but somebody else is only now going to receive a chance if they perform exceptionally between now and the end of the season." Chelsea captain Michael Ballack is not in the squad as the Blues have a match against Birmingham on Wednesday. Lukas Podolski and Heiko Westermann are also ruled out due to injury, suggesting Low has currently narrowed down his choice for the World Cup to 33 players. In his thoughts are Hamburg's Dennis Aogo, who earns his first international call-up, as well as Bayern Munich youngster Thomas Muller, who was prevented from making his national team debut in November due to injury. Bayer Leverkusen's Toni Kroos has also been included along with Christian Trasch of Stuttgart and Patrick Helmes, who has yet to make an appearance for Leverkusen this season after spending the last six months sidelined with torn cruciate knee ligaments. Low has already told veteran midfielder Torsten Frings he will not be going to the World Cup. The squad will meet in Stuttgart on Sunday and return to their clubs on Thursday. They will first be involved in marketing activities before undergoing fitness tests and training together. Germany's next friendly is scheduled for March 3 when Argentina will visit Munich. Germany squad: Rene Adler (Bayer Leverkusen), Tim Wiese (Werder Bremen), Manuel Neuer (Schalke); Dennis Aogo, Jerome Boateng (both Hamburg), Serdar Tasci, Christian Trasch (both Stuttgart), Andreas Beck (Hoffenheim), Arne Friedrich (Hertha Berlin), Robert Huth (Stoke), Philipp Lahm (Bayern Munich), Per Mertesacker (Werder Bremen), Marcel Schafer (Wolfsburg); Bastian Schweinsteiger, Thomas Muller (both Bayern Munich), Toni Kroos, Simon Rolfes (both Bayer Leverkusen), Marko Marin, Aaron Hunt, Mesut Ozil (all Werder Bremen), Christian Gentner (Wolfsburg), Thomas Hitzlsperger, Sami Khedira (both Stuttgart), Piotr Trochowski, Marcell Jansen (both Hamburg); Mario Gomez, Miroslav Klose (both Bayern Munich), Patrick Helmes, Stefan Kiessling (both Bayer Leverkusen), Cacau (Stuttgart).
