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dpa
Krakow
Germany's under-21 team celebrated its European title until daybreak on Saturday while eight possible squad members were in final preparations for Sunday's Confederations Cup final with the senior team.
Stefan Kuntz's youngsters set the stage for what could be a glorious weekend for German football one year ahead of the World Cup in Russia by beating favourites Spain 1-0 in the Krakow final. Hertha Berlin's Mitchell Weiser headed the winner as Germany completed an impressive tournament with the second title following success in 2009.
It is well-documented that the class of eight years ago included the likes of Manuel Neuer, Jerome Boateng, Mesut Oezil, Sami Khedira and Mats Hummels who would go on to win the world title in 2014.
Hopes will now be similar, with some players possibly part of next year's squad, or 2022 in Qatar."Of course right now you have a sort of euphoric mood in the country," senior team coach Joachim Loew said.
"The most important thing ist to look forwards and measure ourselves against the Messis, Ronaldos and others," he said, adding in reference to the World Cup:"You have to be up to and even beyond your physical limits. Seven matches - you have to win every time and you cannot let up at any moment."
Germany has an abundance of talent, and Kuntz and Loew faced a difficult decision weeks ago on who would go to Poland with the under-21 team and who to Russia for the Confed Cup.
After all, Loew was resting most stars from 2014 and instead giving untried and rising players a chance to shine at big-tournament level with an experimental squad.
Leon Goretzka and Timo~Werner are joint tournament top scorers heading into Sunday's decider against Copa America champions Chile in St Petersburg, and six other potential under-21 players are also in Russia.
"It was a difficult topic in the run because some of the players at that squad are now playing in our squad like Goretzka," Loew said.
"We have a very good basis. We have built this up over the last 10 years. We have worked on it because there were low points for German football. ... Players are much better trained and equipped and also more broadly equipped."
As a result, Kuntz also had a strong squad at his disposal, including the likes of Serge Gnabry and Max Meyer who have already featured in Loew's team and have now helped Germany lift the under-21 title.
"Players who are eligible to play for the under-21 team scored against Mexico for the first team. We didn't want to remain in their shadow, we wanted to write our own history and win the cup," Kuntz said.
"you will never forget the time you won the title, and in two years' time, everybody will still remember this team."
Loew said he congratulated Kuntz right after the game, German football federation president Reinhard Grindel spoke of a performance"to make you proud" and captain Maximilian Arnold said:"What the team has achieved is unbelievable. I will go to sleep tonight full of pride."
In Britain, the BBC said:"So Germany are world champions, under-21 European champions and could win the Confed Cup in Russia on Sunday. Not a bad hat-trick if it happens."
