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Football | Germany

Bundesliga hot-shot Stefan Kiessling has been given hope of playing at the 2014 Brazil World Cup by Germany coach Joachim Loew, according to Bayer Leverkusen's director of sport Rudi Voeller.
Despite injury to Loew's first-choice strikers Mario Gomez and Miroslav Klose, Leverkusen's Kiessling, 29, has again been overlooked for the forthcoming World Cup qualifiers.
Kiessling, last season's top-scorer in the Bundesliga, made the last of his six appearances for Germany at the 2010 World Cup and has been ignored by Loew ever since.

But the German head coach held a meeting with Kiessling, Voeller and Bayer coach Sami Hyypia in Leverkusen on Tuesday and Kiessling could yet be part of the Germany squad at next June's World Cup.
"Jogi Loew has asked Stefan if he is prepared to help should Mario Gomez or Miroslav Klose be out of form or injured for the World Cup. Stefan has said he would," Voeller revealed to German daily Die Welt.
Loew has selected Borussia Moenchengladbach striker Max Kruse as his only forward for Friday's World Cup qualifier against the Republic of Ireland in Cologne and against Sweden in Stockholm four days later.
With 25 goals in 34 Bundesliga games last season, and five in seven league matches this term, Kiessling's goal-scoring ability in without question.
But having consistently been ignored by Loew, the relationship is strained and the issue should have been addressed much earlier, according to Voeller.
"The conversation was constructive and should have taken place somewhat earlier. It would have saved a lot of stress," added Voeller.
"He (Kiessling) does not want to be a stand-in, but when he is needed, then he will be there.
"If he plays as well as he did last season, then it's going to be very difficult for the national team coach not to take him to the World Cup anyway, regardless of Gomez and Klose."