Julian Brandt described Germany's 2018 as like getting "smashed in the face", yet he is confident Die Mannschaft can recover and become an elite side again.
World Cup winners in 2014, Joachim Low's side offered a meek title defence in Russia as they bowed out at the group stage, and they were then relegated from the Nations League top tier having finished bottom of a group featuring Netherlands and France.
This calendar year has not started much better for Germany, who were booed off at half-time of Wednesday's 1-1 draw with Serbia in a friendly in Wolfsburg, yet Brandt is confident that the team's quality will soon shine through.