Wednesday 3 September 2014 18:30, UK
Bastian Schweinsteiger has been named as Germany's new captain, assuming the role vacated by Philipp Lahm following his retirement after the World Cup final.
Germany coach Joachim Low announced the Bayern Munich midfielder as his captain "for the next two years" at a press conference in Dusseldorf on Tuesday, although the 30-year-old will not feature in Wednesday's repeat of the World Cup final against Argentina due to injury.
"I know I can always rely on him," Low said. "Just look at the World Cup final and how important he was.
"He has an immense level of experience and a high degree of acceptance within the team and from the coaches.
"He's a great communicator and that's important for the players.
"I know he's injured now, but it's not so bad that he'll be out for months.
"I trust him unreservedly. He has the big aim of winning Euro 2016 and I felt that he is still very ambitious."
Low shares that ambition, saying he already has his sights set on glory in France.
"Our next big aim after winning the World Cup has got to be the final in Paris and the journey there starts on Sunday with the game against Scotland," he said.
"We've always got to aim to get better, you can't just stand still. We will be facing sides even more motivated against us now.
"We've got some new players who we will try to integrate and the aim has always got to be to get better and better. We know where we can still improve."
Low will be using Wednesday night's friendly against Argentina to assess which players can fill the voids left by Per Mertesacker, Lahm and Miroslav Klose following their retirements, although he insists there is "not going to be a major revolution".
"As a coach, you've just got to accept and respect their retirements," Low said.
"Obviously I would have liked to have carried on with them, but this is now a chance for younger players to come through and there are talented players out there who now have more chance to develop in preparation for the next step."
The first step will be taken without Jerome Boateng and Mats Hummels, who both have knocks and will pick up training again on Thursday.
Sami Khedira may also miss out, which is why Low has called up Hoffenheim's Sebastian Rudy as extra cover.
Lionel Messi will be missing for Argentina due to a groin injury while new Argentina coach Gerardo Martino only got to see his first squad on Tuesday after coaching a charity game in Rome on Monday night.
Rodrigo Palacio, Ezequiel Garay and Maximiliano Rodriguez are also absent for a weakened Argentina side who lost the match that mattered against Germany in Rio de Janeiro, when Alejandro Sabella was in charge.
