Uncapped Shkodran Mustafi has admitted he feels more Albanian than German, despite being given a shock call-up by Germany coach Joachim Loew for Wednesday's friendly against Chile.
Loew is looking at the 21-year-old Sampdoria defender - who has two German Under-21 caps - as one of his centre-back options ahead of June's World Cup finals in Brazil.
Having been released by Premier League side Everton in 2012, Mustafi has made a positive impression since joining the Serie A side.
Despite having come through the German youth set-up, he admits he has more empathy for Albania, from where his family come from, than Germany where he was born.
"I have had huge luck that I could enjoy a top football education with the DFB," he told German broadcaster Sport1, having won the European Under-21 title with Germany in 2009.
"For me as a German junior international, there was never a question of playing for another country.
"But Albanian was always spoken at home and we ate Albanian food.
"I feel more Albanian than German, even though I was born there, but there was never a question of playing for Albania."
Mustafi was one of four uncapped players named in the squad along with Hamburg's Pierre-Michel Lasogga, Freiburg's Matthias Ginter and Augsburg's Andre Hahn.
"Shkodran Mustafi and Matthias Ginter we've watched for the under-21s, just like Pierre-Michel Lasogga and Andre Hahn they completely deserve their call ups," said Loew.
"I look forward to getting to know them and give them experience in the national team."
