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Germany focus on youth paying dividends

There is one major difference, however, that makes this team stand apart from their predecessors.

The vast majority of the players in Joachim Low's 23-man squad are products of a youth system launched on the back of disappointing tournament results in 1998 and 2000.

That team's triumph completed a rare set of titles as Germany were also European champions in the Under-19 and Under-17 age groups, won a year earlier.

"We are now more mature, more consistent and we have shown we can beat the big teams," said midfielder Ozil on Monday. "We are young and we are hungry."

"I do not think that this is possible any more," Bierhoff said when asked whether a career like that of 34-year-old forward Miroslav Klose, who never played for youth teams, was still an option.

"What you are missing as far as quality training at youth level nowadays is too big to make up," he added.