The coach of the national team hopes Bayern Munich and Borussia Dortmund’s European success this season will help his cause for next summer’s World Cup
Germany head coach Joachim Low has played down the number of talented players that he believes his side have in comparison to the likes of Brazil and Argentina.
The likes of Mesut Ozil, Mario Gotze, Marco Reus, Thomas Muller and Toni Kroos have come through die Mannschaft set-up in the last four years and have seen the nation adorned with a tag of producing excellent youngsters.
However, Low, who has been in charge of the German side since 2006, believes the quality of footballers developing in the Bundesliga is exaggerated and pinpointed major South American nations as producing a higher quantity of top players.
“We do not have as many talented players as everyone believes,” he told L’Equipe on Friday. “We have some good young players, but I think there are many more in Argentina or Brazil.
“I recently talked to someone who lives in Brazil and knows them well. Over there, he said, there is not one Neymar, but fifty like him!
“Defence or attack – Germany must focus to find top young players in these positions. In midfielder, we are provided for. But players like Gotze or Reus still have some way to go to become top-class players.”
Low is of the opinion that Borussia Dortmund and Bayern Munich’s journey to the Champions League final this season should help his cause ahead of next summer’s World Cup, due to the top-level game experience that the competition provides.
“It is good for German football that our young players compete in matches of that level,” he added. “It’s good for their personal growth.
“Playing in a quarter-final, a semi-final or final of the Champions League is like playing against Brazil, Argentina, France and Spain. It is the top level.”
Low refused to pick a winner between the two Bundesliga giants, but did say the Bavarians have the stronger squad and hinted the absence of Gotze could harm Jurgen Klopp’s men’s chances.
“Bayern can change five or six players and keep the same high performance,” he added. “This is less of a case for Dortmund. With all of their best players, Dortmund can beat Bayern.”