Philipp Lahm has been warned by the German Football Association (DFB) about his future conduct after causing irritation with his soon-to-be-published biography.

Excerpts from the book have been published in the Bild newspaper over recent days and his criticism of former Germany coaches Rudi Voller and Jurgen Klinsmann have not gone down well.

The DFB will discuss the issue with Lahm ahead of next week’s international matches against Austria and Poland and warned the full-back that he has overstepped the mark. However, taking the captaincy away from Lahm was not considered, despite speculation in the German media.…

Former captain and goalkeeper Oliver Kahn is set to bring a football reality show, which looks to unearth new talent, to German TV after it proved successful in China.

Kahn’s show – Never Give Up – was a hit in the far east, as the ex-Bayern Munich star played a starring role in the series which put young aspiring goalkeepers through their paces with a series of challenges.

The idea is to bring the show to Germany with a contract at a Bundesliga club on offer for the winner of the series.…

Borussia Dortmund coach Jurgen Klopp has said Germany’s teenage star Mario Goetze was substituted in the defending German league champions shock 1-0 defeat at Hoffenheim because of fatigue.

Goetze, 19, came off after 54 minutes as his side failed to recover from conceding a free-kick after nine minutes from Hoffenheim midfielder Sejad Salihovic on Saturday.

It was a disappointing end to a remarkable week after Goetze orchestrated Germany’s 3-2 friendly win over Brazil on Wednesday, five days after Dortmund’s 3-1 rout of Hamburg on the opening day of the season.…

Ex-Germany captain Michael Ballack led Bayer Leverkusen to their first win of the season on Sunday as Czech midfielder Michal Kadlec’s late goal sealed a 1-0 win at home to Werder Bremen.

Last season’s German league runners-up have had a torrid time of late, throwing away a 3-0 lead at second division Dynamo Dresden two weeks ago in the German Cup to suffer a 4-3 defeat.

They were then beaten 2-0 at Mainz last weekend in the opening weekend of the Bundesliga season.…

German women’s football legend Birgit Prinz hung up her boots Friday, putting a bookend on a stellar career after a disappointing 2011 World Cup on home soil.

The 33-year-old striker, who played the bulk of her domestic football with Bundesliga team FFC Frankfurt, said “football was one of the biggest passions in my life, so I found it hard to finish the chapter.”…

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Germany’s young guns proved they are fast becoming a force to be reckoned with as they turned on the style to beat Brazil 3-2 in Stuttgart with rising star Mario Goetze in dazzling form.

In a friendly televised live in 190 countries, Bastian Schweinsteiger opened the scoring from the penalty spot before 19-year-old debutant Goetze and Andre Schuerrle netted for the hosts.…

Football legend Franz Beckenbauer has hailed rising star Mario Goetze as Germany’s equivalent of Argentina’s Lionel Messi ahead of the Germans friendly against South American giants Brazil on Wednesday.

Goetze was lavished with praise over the weekend after playing a commanding role in Borussia Dortmund’s impressive 3-1 win over Hamburg on Friday as they opened their defence of the Bundesliga title.

Having set up team-mate Kevin Grosskreutz for the first goal, Goetze added the second with a deft chip and caused the Hamburg defence constant problems.

He has been named by coach Joachim Löw in the starting lineup to face Brazil in a friendly and arrived at the team hotel in Stuttgart on Sunday as the name on everyone’s lips.

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