The Borussia Dortmund defender was a surprise inclusion in the WC hosts' squad, which was announced on the German Football Association (DFB) official website on Monday.

"I guess it will come as a surprise that David Odonkor is in the squad, but he has been part of our thoughts for a long time," Klinsmann was quoted as saying by Sky Sports.

"We have left him out up to now intentionally as we thought it may be too much for him at a young age to have all the pressure," he added.

Schalke duo Fabian Ernst and striker Kevin Kuranyi were left out while Wolfsburg striker Mike Hanke was called despite the fact that he will miss the first two matches in the WC because of the red card he received in last summer's Confederations Cup.

Germany squad:

Goalkeepers: Jens Lehmann (Arsenal), Oliver Kahn (Bayern Munich), Timo Hildebrand (VfB Stuttgart)

Defenders: Arne Friedrich (Hertha Berlin), Robert Huth (Chelsea), Marcell Jansen (Borussia Moenchengladbach), Philipp Lahm (Bayern Munich), Per Mertesacker (Hanover 96), Christoph Metzelder (Borussia Dortmund), Jens Nowotny (Bayer

Leverkusen)

Midfielders: Michael Ballack (Bayern Munich), Tim Borowski (Werder Bremen), Torsten Frings (Werder Bremen), Sebastian Kehl (Borussia Dortmund), Bernd Schneider (Bayer Leverkusen), Bastian Schweinsteiger (Bayern Munich), Thomas Hitzlsperger (VfB Stuttgart), David Odonkor (Borussia Dortmund)

Forwards: Gerald Asamoah (Schalke 04), Miroslav Klose (Werder Bremen), Oliver Neuville (Borussia Moenchengladbach), Lukas Podolski (Cologne), Mike Hanke (Werder Bremen).

Stand by list:

Robert Enke (Hanover 96), Manuel Friedrich (MSV Mainz), Patrick Owomoyela (Werder Bremen), Fabian Ernst (Schalke 04), Paul Freier (Bayer Leverkusen), Kevin Kuranyi (Schalke 04)