Dieter Hoeness believes Germany head coach Joachim Low made the right decision naming Bastian Schweinsteiger in his provisional squad for Euro 2016.
Eyebrows were raised in some quarters when Germany captain Schweinsteiger was included in Low's initial 27-man party for the tournament on Tuesday, despite the fact he has made just one Premier League appearance for Manchester United since January due to two knee injuries.
Low is eager to give Schweinsteiger the chance to prove his fitness before he trims down his selection, with ex-Bayern Munich and West Germany forward Hoeness backing the World Cup-winning midfielder to help youngsters such as Julian Weigl and Leroy Sane settle in the squad.
Hoeness told Omnisport: "Everyone knows it's not about the quantity of individual players, but about the team. The team makes the difference and also the success.
"The balance needs to be right, that's why Bastian Schweinsteiger was selected. And I am pretty sure he will be in the squad after the final decision - if it's foreseeable that he can help the team.
"He needs to be at least fit enough to help the team. It's important to have experienced players in your team, but also you should take young players with you who can put some pressure on the older ones, who force the experienced to play their best.
"The balance in the squad is the reason for success in the end. Not just the individual players."
Low was boosted by the return of Bayern Munich's Jerome Boateng after over three months out with a groin problem last month and Hoeness feels the defender's central-defensive partnership with Mats Hummels could be vital to Germany's chances of adding European Championship glory to their 2014 World Cup win.
The 63-year-old also spoke highly of Germany's wealth of attacking talent.
"I think it's important that Jerome Boateng was fit in time for the European Championship. With Hummels and Boateng we have one of the world's best defensive duos," Hoeness added.
"Sure, someone like Thomas Muller is extremely important for the team, but also a couple of other players - Ozil, if he's in his best form, but also Toni Kroos.
"Thank God we not only have a great team but also good individual players, who can decide games on their own. We have plenty of them."
