If you want me to predict a WC 2014 roster, i think the keepers, the CBs, midfielders and wingers are pretty much all set. Its a safe bet that players like Neuer, ter Stegen, Hummels, Boateng, Howedes, Badstuber, Lahm, Kroos, Guendogan, Schweinsteiger, Khedira, Thomas Mueller, Oezil, Reus, Goetze n Schuerrle will be there in WC 2014 unless injury issue. I realize 2 things: 1) Other than Philipp Lahm, there isnt many fullback who can guarantee a spot in the NT. Schmelzer is probably the closest but he isnt any great and doesnt have a high ceiling; Beck n Castro are ok but u wont be particularly impressed with them, doubt they are NT calibre too. But of coz if Leverkusen or Hoffenheim does well in the Bundesliga and contending for the title, it will be easier for them; Jantschke from Gladbach is a decent prospect, playing regularly but he will only be a RB version of Schmelzer. then we basically have no promising fullbacks coming through. I like what i saw from Florian Hartherz(Werder Bremen) last season, but he will be competing with Schmitz for that starting LB spot in his club; also like Dudziak when i watched DFB U17 played earlier this summer, a very technical LB with vision, skill n high work-rate. But again Dudziak is still 17 and in the next year or two he'll be competing with Schmelzer for the starting LB spot. Since both Schmitz and Schmelzer are relatively young (both 24), i think may take Hartherz and Dudziak a while to establish a starting spot. Mitchell Weiser has a chance too, he plays like a Dani Alves but we all know the competition in Bayern. Alaba can play LB, with Lahm and few others, its not eeasy for him to make the WC 2014 roster either. He may need longer time than Hartherz and Dudziak even, i think its a bad move for him to join Bayern Munich In general, i see Jantschke has the slightly higher chance making that WC 2014 squad, the rest not quite especially the younger players(Dudziak, Hartherz and Weiser) 2) Klose will be 36 in 2014. and i have my doubt if he can play a full 90 minutes game at that level. He is getting more n more injury prone n losng his explosiveness. Still a huge aerial threat of coz, but i seriously think its a big concern if we still have to rely on a 36 year old as our starting CF and seeing no sucessor coming through. Its more like a bad sign, why cant we develop just one decent striker after Mario Gomez? Teams are mostly playing one-striker formation and they generally prefer more expereinced strikers for that only spot in their starting lineup. They may opt for foreign players. So now out of 18 teams in Bundesliga, 16 use domestic strikers in their starting lineup Mario Gomez will be competing with Mandzukic for the starting CF spot for Bayern, wont be that easy; Helmes, Cacau n Hanke are no longer starting strikers in their teams; Kiessling is just.............Kiessling, u know what i mean; Really like Werder Bremen's young striker Niclas Fuellkrug from what he has shown in the pre-season. Very big, clinical and has the killer instinct of a good CF. I rate him higher than Nils Petersen. But too bad their management have decided to go for Akpala, n he might not have the wanted playing time; Schieber will be playing behind Lewandowski in Dortmund and not having much playing time, he isnt quite a prolific scorer anyway; Love the potential of Kevin Volland's, but with Hoffenheim's recent signing of Derdiyok n Joselu, i think he'll play at AM or on the flank. Same as Mlapa since Luuk De Jong/De Camargo/Hanke will play playing in the middle; Lasogga will be injured till December and will only be competing in the 2BL after his serious injury; a "Dark Horse" will be Sebastian Polter, who will be playing for Nuernberg this season. He still have to compete with Czech striker Pekhart but i think he ha a decent chance to start and he has the size, aerial ability and well rounded skill-set for a striker; Yesil, Fuellkrug, Volland n Ducksch are all good prospects but Yesil n Ducksch wont be ready before WC 2014, they play in the clubs where they have more experiened options; Volland will be startign but may play at AM/LW; Fuellkrug has a chance but he has to continue to outplay Nils Petersen n his new teammate Akpala All in all, i think these are sad days for German strikers.