Like Alonso, the team director Oliver Bierhoff is convinced of his side's new quality. "We're in a better position than we were in 2017. We are privileged to have a bigger and better pool of players," the 1996 European Champion stressed.

Bierhoff announced that the German Football Association is planning to devise a new masterplan to secure the country's leading position in world football.

"We have reached a crossroads. To avoid mistakes in a successful phase we have to improve and develop," the former striker said. Bierhoff says that without further innovations, Germany is in danger of losing its place in the world's elite.

Some years ago, "we had six to seven top talents every year, now we have come down to two or three. It tells us we will have to consider new strategies like we did in 2000 by setting up youth academies at all of our clubs," he said.

【体坛英语资讯：Loew looks to defend Germanys World Cup crown at Russia 2018】相关文章：

★ 体坛英语资讯：Seeded players raise US Open heat

★ 体坛英语资讯：Yi debuts for Bucks in win

★ 体坛英语资讯：McClaren pays price for England Euro flop

★ 体坛英语资讯：LeBron returns to fire Cavs

★ 体坛英语资讯：Chinas Li Na makes strong start to season

★ 体坛英语资讯：Roddick to skip Olympics with U.S. Open in mind

★ 体坛英语资讯：Former Yankee Leyritz arrested after car death

★ 娱乐英语资讯：Jamie Lynn Spears says shes pregnant

★ 体坛英语资讯：Beijing National Stadium designers win award

★ 娱乐英语资讯：Lindsay Lohans father wont walk her down aisle