Mustafi more attached to Albania despite German call-up

BERLIN, March 01, 2014 - Uncapped Shkodran Mustafi has admitted he feels more Albanian than German, despite being given a shock call-up by Germany coach Joachim Loew for Wednesday's friendly against Chile.

Loew is looking at the 21-year-old Sampdoria defender -- who has two German Under-21 caps -- as one of his centre-back options ahead of June's World Cup finals in Brazil.

Having been released by Premier League side Everton in 2012, Mustafi has made a positive impression since joining the Serie A side.

Despite having come through the German youth set-up, he admits he has more empathy for Albania, from where his family come from, than Germany where he was born.

"I have had huge luck that I could enjoy a top football education with the DFB," he told German broadcaster Sport1, having won the European Under-21 title with Germany in 2009.

"For me as a German junior international, there was never a question of playing for another country.

"But Albanian was always spoken at home and we ate Albanian food.

"I feel more Albanian than German, even though I was born there, but there was never a question of playing for Albania."

Mustafi was one of four uncapped players named in the squad along with Hamburg's Pierre-Michel Lasogga, Freiburg's Matthias Ginter and Augsburg's Andre Hahn.

"Shkodran Mustafi and Matthias Ginter we've watched for the under-21s, just like Pierre-Michel Lasogga and Andre Hahn they completely deserve their call ups," said Loew.

"I look forward to getting to know them and give them experience in the national team."

Some more familiar faces are also set to return for Germany's first international of 2014 with midfielder Bastian Schweinsteiger and striker Miroslav Klose back from injury.