Germany coach Joachim Löw concedes the process which led to the end of Michael Ballack’s international career should have been handled better.

Ballack was expected to lead his country at last year’s World Cup finals but suffered an injury in Chelsea’s FA Cup final clash with Portsmouth which ruled him out of the tournament.

The resulting success of a young German team in South Africa prompted Löw to announce in June that he would not be selecting Ballack again as it went against his new focus on youth development. The midfielder, who turned 35 in September, lashed out at Löw for treating him disrespectfully and even turned down the offer of a testimonial match for Germany.

Under Löw’s leadership, the team has continued to get stronger and qualified for Euro 2012 top of their group. They head into next summer’s tournament as one of the favourites to lift the trophy but looking back now Löw admits some regret at the way Ballack – a player who has played for Germany just short of 100 times – retired from international football.

“All of us who were involved in this thing should have found a better solution,” Löw told Sky Bundesliga. ”All of the parties involved. Just as…

Germany coach Joachim Löw says his team will have no fear when they start their Euro 2012 campaign against Portugal, having also drawn Denmark and World Cup finalists Holland in Group B.

Germany were the first team to book their Euro 2012 place, winning all 10 of their qualification matches.

They face Portugal in Lviv on Saturday June 9, Holland in Kharkiv on Wednesday June 13, then finish against Denmark in Lviv again, on Sunday June 17.

The Germans hammered Holland 3-0 in Hamburg last month in a friendly, but Löw said there would be no easy games in the group, although there was no fear of Portugal, who Germany beat 3-2 in the quarter-finals of Euro 2008.

“We’ll take it as it comes, we have no fear,” said Löw. “Before the draw, I said that there was no team I preferred to meet, everyone will be hard to play against. Being at a European Championships is just like being at a World Cup, any team can pull off a surprise.”

The 51-year-old said he was also looking forward to facing World Cup finalists Holland, but that European neighbours Denmark would be especially dangerous.

“I believe that this is…

The German team played its last game of 2011 on Tuesday in a friendly against the Netherlands, and coach Joachim Löw can send the team home for the year with a smile on his face.

“Holland was a custom-made opponent,” Löw said in the post-game press conference. “Holland had no chance.”

The team’s 3-0 win in Hamburg was more than just a pride-boosting dressing down of the World Cup runners-up. It was a final confirmation that Löw’s Germany is running like a well-oiled machine heading into next summer’s European Championship.

Winning all of their Euro 2012 qualifiers was certainly a strong indication that things were running smoothly on the team, but nothing speaks louder than such a strong performance against a a techincally strong side like Holland.

Germany’s offense was a pleasure to behold, with early attacks strung together with crisp, clean short passes and well-selected long balls that were bound to yield goals.

The first of Gremany’s three goals came after 15 minutes on a play that couldn’t have been scripted better. Toni Kroos sent the ball across the pitch toward Klose on the right side, who quickly brought it under control and slotted it brilliantly to Thomas Müller in…

Coach Joachim Löw has insisted his side have nothing to fear ahead of Tuesday’s friendly against World Cup finalists the Netherlands in Hamburg as they look to finish 2011 in style.

After winning all 10 of their Euro 2012 qualifiers and humbling Brazil in an August friendly, Löw is looking for Germany’s first win over the Dutch since 1996 in what will be his 75th international as national team coach.

Both sides are without key players with Germany captain Philipp Lahm being rested and Bayern Munich star midfielder Bastian Schweinsteiger missing with a broken collarbone.

Likewise, Dutch midfielder Rafael van der Vaart is out with a thigh strain while striker Robin van Persie has returned to his Premier League club Arsenal to be rested.

The Dutch attack will feature Inter Milan star Wesley Sneijder and Liverpool’s Dirk Kuyt, but Löw says his team — including Real Madrid play-maker Mesut Ozil and Bayern’s Mario Gomez — are relishing the challenge.

“We have no fear and there is no reason to be afraid,” Löw told reporters Monday.

“It will be a great challenge to play against the number two team in the world. I expect an aggressive and interesting game.”

While both…

Germany survived a scare on Friday as the guests had to come from 3-1 down to seal a 3-3 draw with Euro 2012 co-hosts the Ukraine in a thrilling friendly.

Germany was without a few of its usual players. Captain Philipp Lahm was given the night off, with his captain’s band being passed on to Mario Gomez. Midfielder Bastian Schweinsteiger, normally a leading playmaker, was out with a broken collarbone.

The team’s stalwart goalkeeper, Manuel Neuer, was also not in the lineup, being replaced by Hanover’s 22-year-old keeper, Ron-Robert Zieler, who made his national team debut.

The Ukraine took the lead when Dynamo Kiev striker Andriy Yarmolenko opened the scoring when he stabbed home his shot on 28 minutes for the first goal.

The second came nine minutes later when German defender Mats Hummels lost possession near the Ukraine penalty area and midfielder Yevhen Konoplianka sprinted some 70 metres to round Zieler and slot home.

Germany pulled a goal back on 39 minutes when Bayern Munich midfielder Toni Kroos rifled a shot home from outside the penalty area.

The hosts went into the break 3-1 up when replacement Serhiy Nazarenko calmly took a pass from Shevchenko and beat Zieler…

The German Football Association has increased its win bonus for the European Championships in Poland and Ukraine next year. Each player will get €300,000 should Germany carry home the title.

That is the most that has ever been offered to the national team players for winning the biggest European competition, matching the reward the players would have taken home if they’d won the 2006 World Cup in Germany, and a nice chunk more than the €250,000 they would have received if they had won the 2010 World Cup in South Africa.

The 23-man squad, led by captain Michael Ballack, took €100,000 per man for reaching the semi-final in 2006, where they lost a thrilling match in extra-time against eventual winners Italy. The German players received the same amount for reaching the semi-final of the 2010 World Cup.

The highest tournament bonus the DFB has ever handed out was €150,000 per player for the 1-0 defeat to Spain in the final of the 2008 European Championship in Austria.

The DFB said Friday that the increased bonus was due to an increased income from European football’s governing body UEFA, which will reward the winning football association with €23.5 million.

Six players…

Germany captain Philipp Lahm will be rested for the friendly games in Ukraine (November, 11th) and against Netherlands in Hamburg (November, 15th) later this month after a busy year for club and country, coach Joachim Löw said on Friday.

Löw said Bayern München’s Lahm had played a lot of 90-minute games and deserved a break. “That is why he gets a rest and I get the chance to test alternatives for the left back position,” Löw said in a statement.

Germany qualified for the Euro 2012 finals in style after winning all 10 of their qualifiers. Löw also gave Bayern München’s keeper Manuel Neuer a one-game break and will use substitutes Tim Wiese and Ron-Robert Zieler against Ukraine.

First choice keeper Neuer will be back in the fold against the Dutch four days later. “We want to finish this successful year on a positive note,” Löw said. “It is also important to play in Ukraine and get experience ahead of the tournament next year.”

Germany completed a perfect EURO 2012 qualifying campaign with their tenth win from ten games by beating Belgium 3-1 in Dusseldorf.

Two goals in the space of three first-half minutes from Mesut Ozil and Andre Schurrle put the hosts on course for yet another victory, with Mario Gomez adding a third just after the interval. Marouane Fellaini grabbed a consolation in the 86th minute but it was not enough for Belgium to finish second in Group A.

Having already qualified for next summer’s championships in style, Germany could have been forgiven for taking it easy, but there was no evidence of that as they tore the Belgians apart with another impressive victory, much to coach Joachim Löw’s satisfaction.

“It was important that we finished it off like this, simply to show that the Germans never let up,” he said. “We never wanted to be open to criticism that we could influence the competition with a poor performance. We did not want to win this game for Turkey, but for us.”

Germany’s win meant Turkey needed just a draw from their match against Azerbaijan to clinch a place in the play-offs for Poland and Ukraine. For Germany goalscorer Ozil, whose family…

Coach Joachim Löw donated his lucky sweater from the 2010 World Cup to a children’s charity, which then sold it for €1 million to retailer Galeria Kaufhof, which then donated it to a German football museum being built by the German Football Federation (DFB).

“I hope that the pullover will have a worthy place in the museum and will be well looked after,” said Löw as he handed over the cashmere sweater.

“Maybe I will still need it to bring me luck in other tournaments.”

The sweater earned its reputation as a lucky charm after Löw wore it during three wins when his side scored four goals in South Africa – against Australia (4-0), Argentina (4-0) and England (4-1).

Germany finally lost to eventual winners Spain to finish third in the tournament.

Work on the DFB museum is due to start in 2012 on the site in Dortmund, western Germany. Though the museum will only be completed in 2014, the presentation took place on Monday, a day before Germany are due to meet Belgium in Euro 2012 qualifying.

Germany coach Joachim Loew has excused midfielder Mario Goetze for the final European Championship qualifier against Belgium on Tuesday.

“Goetze had a lot of games last season and has a lot coming up (for Borussia Dortmund) so we simply decided to give him a bit of a rest,” Loew’s assistant Hansi Flick said Sunday.

Germany tops Group A and has already qualified for next year’s tournament with nine wins from nine games. Second place Belgium needs to win to secure a playoff spot ahead of Turkey, which is one point behind and hosts Azerbaijan. ”We’re taking the game very seriously, and we’ll try and get the 10th win,” Flick said.

“It’s our duty to give everything,” Flick said. “Our performances have been impressive following the World Cup and we want to give our fans a good game … Belgium has a lot of young talented players (but) we know what to expect. We’ll try to win the game regardless of who plays.”

Midfielders Ilkay Guendogan and Toni Kroos joined Germany’s squad on Saturday, but defender Jerome Boateng, striker Miroslav Klose and midfielder Bastian Schweinsteiger could only complete light individual training on Sunday.

“Boateng has a muscle problem from Turkey. Miro…