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Germany coach Joachim Loew has recalled the experienced quartet of Michael Ballack, Torsten Frings, Per Mertesacker and Arne Friedrich for the World Cup qualifiers against Russia and Wales.

Ballack (pictured) was among the senior players to miss Germany's first two Group Four matches - a 6-0 win away to Liechtenstein and a 3-3 draw away to Finland.

The 32-year-old captain has recovered from his foot injury and is back along with his preferred central midfield partner Frings, who missed last month's games with a broken nose.

Centre back Mertesacker and full back Arne Friedrich also return from injury.

Missing from the squad for the games against Russia in Dortmund on October 11 and Wales in Moenchengladbach on October 15 is the Real Madrid centre back Christoph Metzelder.

"He's very much part of our plans but we agreed that as he has not had much match practice at Real Madrid this season he would be better staying there and working on his fitness," Loew said on the German FA website.

Loew also brought in midfielder Jermaine Jones and young goalkeeper Rene Adler as back-up for first choice Robert Enke.

Germany Squad:

Goalkeepers: Robert Enke (Hanover), Rene Adler (Bayer Leverkusen), Tim Wiese (Werder Bremen)

Defenders: Clemens Fritz (Werder Bremen), Arne Friedrich (Hertha Berlin), Marcell Jansen (Hamburg), Philipp Lahm (Bayern Munich), Per Mertesacker (Werder Bremen), Serdar Tasci (Stuttgart), Heiko Westermann (Schalke)

Midfielders: Michael Ballack (Chelsea), Torsten Frings (Werder Bremen), Thomas Hitzlsperger (Stuttgart), Jermaine Jones (Schalke), Simon Rolfes (Bayer Leverkusen), Bastian Schweinsteiger (Bayern Munich), Piotr Trochowski (Hamburg)

Forwards: Mario Gomez (Stuttgart), Patrick Helmes (Bayer Leverkusen), Miroslav Klose (Bayern Munich), Kevin Kuranyi (Schalke), Lukas Podolski (Bayern Munich)

Reuters