Toni Kroos insists Germany will cope with the retirement of captain Bastian Schweinsteiger, just as they have done with previous stars.
Manchester United midfielder Schweinsteiger and Galatasaray forward Lukas Podolski have both called time on their international careers after featuring in Euro 2016, where they exited at the semi-final stage.
However, this is not an unfamiliar scenario for the German national side, having lost then captain Philipp Lahm, defender Per Mertesacker and record goalscorer Miroslav Klose after their 2014 World Cup success.
And Kroos believes his team will quickly adjust again following the loss of Schweinsteiger and Podolski.
"I do not think it will take long," he told the German Football Association's website. "The situation is also not new to us.
"After each tournament, it is so that two or three players are no longer there. And we were always able to absorb this. This time Basti and Lukas have stopped; of course, they leave a gap.
"But it is not that we have eliminated so many game minutes - both were important for the team, but Luke has recently played less and less, and Bastian had much to contend with injuries.
"This means there is not much of an extreme change for us as a team."
The world champions begin their World Cup qualifying campaign in Norway on Sunday, with Manuel Neuer appointed their new captain.
‘Managing Leeds? It was an option that appeared, but it wasn’t the right timing. I decided it wasn’t a good idea to leave the club I was at mid-season’: Premier League boss admits to turning down opportunity to replace Jesse Marsch in 2023
‘Ruben Amorim could have waited for Real Madrid and had a better chance to be successful – to have joined Manchester United, he must be convinced in his own ability’ Former Old Trafford coach’s verdict on new boss
