Tournament favourites Germany will need to keep Timo Werner under special protection until June 2018 if Karl-Heinz Riedle has his ways with him.
Germany will head into the 2018 FIFA World Cup as holders of the prestigious trophy and will undoubtedly be among the fancied teams to lift the trophy in Russia. Yet, no one in the modern era has been able to retain the World Cup, Brazil the last team to achieve that feat way back in 1962.
The Die Mannschaft narrowly defeated Argentina 1-0 in the final of the 2014 edition, despite a 7-1 demolition of hosts Brazil in the semi-final stage.