Former Germany captain Philipp Lahm doesn't see the national team among the favourites to win this year's World Cup in the United States, Canada and Mexico, reported dpa.
Twelve years after their last triumph in Brazil, of which Lahm was a part of, he acknowledged that the current team has good players who play for top clubs.
"But the past hasn't necessarily shown that we've really grown as a team in recent years or over the last few tournaments," he said at an event hosted by the Münchner Merkur/tz newspapers.
Since the title in 2014, Germany have suffered two group stages exits in Russia in 2018 and in Qatar in 2022. The team has also failed to reach an European Championship final in this period.
"That's why the favourites are definitely others, when I think about France or Spain, maybe even Portugal. But it's always possible," he said.
Lahm ended his national team career after the triumph in Brazil and retired from football in 2017 after more than a decade at Bayern Munich. Since then he's been active as businessman and football official.
Asked whether he thinks about returning to Bayern, he said: "Well, I'm keeping myself pretty busy and I'm enjoying it. My life is great. And that's why, to be honest, I'm not really thinking about FC Bayern right now."
The 2026 World Cup starts on June 11.
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Source: www.dailyfinland.fi
