Löw delays captain decision

German national team coach Joachim Löw told reporters in Düsseldorf on Monday that he won't announce a successor to Bastian Schweinsteiger as captain until after Wednesday's game against Finland.

The World Cup title holders face their European counterparts at Borussia Park in a friendly match, when the Manchester United midfielder will play his final game for Germany.

"On Wednesday Bastian will be the captain," Löw said. "So on Wednesday it's not a topic."

The favorites to succeed Schweinsteiger are throught to be goalkeeper Manuel Neuer, followed by Jerome Boateng and Sami Khedira.

Schweinsteiger's international teammate and friend, Lukas Podolski, was also meant to play his final match for the national team on Wednesday, but he has had to pull out due to an injury.

The two former Bayern Munich players have made a combined 250 international appearances and scored 72 goals for Germany.

As such, their national team coach was full of praise for the contribution both had made to Germany's success over the past 10 years, stating that they had "done a lot for the team."

Schweinsteiger's role as captain of the national team has been short lived, after injury limited his ability to play for Germany after he took on the role after the 2014 World Cup. Following a gruelling Euro 2016 campaign the 32-year-old midfielder announced his retirement from international football in late July.

"Historically and emotionally I have achieved something that can no longer be repeated in my career," the player said at the time. "Therefore, it is right and proper now to call it quits and to wish the team the best for qualification and the 2018 World Cup. "

Podolski, 31, who now plays his club football with Turkish side Galatasaray, annouced his retirement from international football a couple of weeks later. The plan now is for him to make his last appearance for Germany in a friendly next March.

Time for the next generation

Speaking at his first press conference since the European championship, Löw also acknowledged that with the departure of the two veterans, the coming World Cup qualifying campaign and Confederations Cup would be about giving more young Germany players an oppotunity to prove themselves.

For the coming clash with Finland, the German coach has called up young talents Julian Brandt, Max Meyer and Niklas Sule as well as Euro 2016 deputants Julian Weigl and Joshua Kimmich. And Löw has every intention of making them key players before the next major tournament in Russia 2018.

"An important goal for the next two years is bringing up young players with perspective," he said.

Germany kick off their qualification campaign for the 2018 World Cup with a trip to Norway on Sunday, September 4.