Thomas Muller, Mats Hummels and Jerome Boateng axed from German national team
The three have 246 caps between them and were integral parts of the 2014 World Cup-winning squad
Thomas Muller, Mats Hummels and Jerome Boateng have all been told they will no longer be selected for the German national team.
Hummels and Boateng are both 30 and have 70 and 76 caps respectively. Muller is 29 and has played for his country 100 times.
All three were integral members of the 2014 World Cup winning squad.
Germany have struggled of late, though, and were knocked out of the 2018 World Cup at the group stages and relegated in the Nations League.
Boss Joachim Low has now decided to shake things up.
He said: “2019 is the year of the new start for the German national team.
“We want to give the team a new face and I am convinced that this is the right step.
“The young national players will have the space they need to fully develop, and now they have to take responsibility.”
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Muller is Germany’s ninth highest scorer with 38 goals and came off the bench in their last game, a 2-2 draw with the Netherlands in November, to win his 100th cap.
German FA president Reinhard Grindel added: "I welcome the fact that Low is now furthering the change of our national team.
"The start of qualifying for the Euro 2020 is the right time for personnel changes."
Their next match is a friendly against Serbia in Wolfsburg on 20 March before their first Euro 2020 qualifier against the Netherlands four days later.