However, last year’s debacle at the World Cup finals in Russia saw Germany crash out after the group stage due to below-par performances from Loew’s trusted stars. “2019 is the year of a new start for the German national football team,” said Loew. Hummels and Boateng, Germany’s successful centre-back partnership before the disaster at the finals in Russia, have played in 70 and 76 internationals respectively. Loew already has options for Hummels and Boateng at centre-back in Bayern’s Niklas Suele, 23, Chelsea’s Antonio Ruediger, 26, and Paris Saint-Germain’s Thilo Kehrer, 22. I feel sorry (that) one of the best German players of the last decades has to leave the national team in that way.

Source: The Express Tribune March 06, 2019 08:37 UTC