Soccer: Heinrich rules himself out of Germany squad

Germany coach Rudi Voeller, already suffering the loss of playmaker Sebastian Deisler, learned yesterday that yet another midfielder Joerg Heinrich is unfit for the soccer World Cup finals.

Heinrich, 31, said he had told Voeller that he would be unable to make the trip.

"After considerable thought over the long weekend I have told Rudi Voeller that I didn't feel fit enough for the World Cup and asked him to remove me from the squad.

"I have had many bad injuries in the past season and now just need a long rest," the Borussia Dortmund player said.

Voeller, whose men travel to Japan tomorrow, has added Heinrich's Dortmund team-mate Lars Ricken, 25, and Schalke 04's Joerg Boehme, 28, to complete his 23-man squad.

- REUTERS

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