<p class="title">Germany striker Sandro Wagner has announced his international retirement following his failure to be nominated in the preliminary World Cup squad.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Wagner tells Thursday's edition of the Bild daily, "For me it's clear that I do not seem to fit in with the coaching team due to my way of always being open, honest and direct."</p>.<p class="bodytext">The 30-year-old Bayern Munich forward was overlooked by Germany coach Joachim Loew in favor of Leipzig's Timo Werner, Stuttgart's Mario Gomez and Freiburg's Nils Petersen, who was a surprise call-up on Tuesday.</p>.<p class="bodytext">"It was a decision for Gomez and Petersen, not against Sandro," Loew had said. Petersen, with 15 goals, was the Bundesliga's second-best forward behind Bayern's Robert Lewandowski this season. Wagner got eight goals in 14 games for Bayern after his winter switch from Hoffenheim.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Wagner has five goals in eight appearances for Germany since making a late debut at 29.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Wagner, who previously said he "assumed" he was going to the World Cup, told Bild, "I'd be lying if I said I wasn't disappointed. The World Cup would have been brilliant."</p>.<p class="bodytext">The forward wished his former teammates all the best for the tournament in Russia and said he hoped "that they come back as world champions."</p>
<p class="title">Germany striker Sandro Wagner has announced his international retirement following his failure to be nominated in the preliminary World Cup squad.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Wagner tells Thursday's edition of the Bild daily, "For me it's clear that I do not seem to fit in with the coaching team due to my way of always being open, honest and direct."</p>.<p class="bodytext">The 30-year-old Bayern Munich forward was overlooked by Germany coach Joachim Loew in favor of Leipzig's Timo Werner, Stuttgart's Mario Gomez and Freiburg's Nils Petersen, who was a surprise call-up on Tuesday.</p>.<p class="bodytext">"It was a decision for Gomez and Petersen, not against Sandro," Loew had said. Petersen, with 15 goals, was the Bundesliga's second-best forward behind Bayern's Robert Lewandowski this season. Wagner got eight goals in 14 games for Bayern after his winter switch from Hoffenheim.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Wagner has five goals in eight appearances for Germany since making a late debut at 29.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Wagner, who previously said he "assumed" he was going to the World Cup, told Bild, "I'd be lying if I said I wasn't disappointed. The World Cup would have been brilliant."</p>.<p class="bodytext">The forward wished his former teammates all the best for the tournament in Russia and said he hoped "that they come back as world champions."</p>