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Germany coach Joachim Loew has agreed to extend his contract with the world champions to 2022, he said on Tuesday before the unveiling of his preliminary World Cup squad.
Loew, whose current deal runs out in 2020, has been in charge for 12 years and in 2014 led Germany to their fourth World Cup title.
"This is a big responsibility to continue developing players," the 58-year-old told reporters after German Football Association President Reinhard Grindel said they had agreed to extend their current deal by two more years.
"To work with the best players in Germany, then develop them and to make them better, to form a team that sets the highest goals, this is what drives and still gives me joy."
YOUR World Cup kit ratings revealedShow all 47 1 /47YOUR World Cup kit ratings revealed YOUR World Cup kit ratings revealed YOUR World Cup kit ratings revealed Drum roll please, ladies and gents. Here are the best World Cup kits, as voted for by you.
Adidas
YOUR World Cup kit ratings revealed NA. Saudi Arabia home They say: A home shirt combining the traditional home kit colors of the country, white and green. Our verdict: Another absolutely plain kit! Yippee!
Nike
YOUR World Cup kit ratings revealed NA. Saudi Arabia away They say: The away jersey is green and white, based on the same design as the home kit. Our verdict: Green.
Nike
YOUR World Cup kit ratings revealed NA. Egypt away They say: White, based on the popular Condivo 18 template. Our verdict: Classic. Rather like the old Germany home shirt. B+.
Getty
YOUR World Cup kit ratings revealed NA. Costa Rica home They say: The Costa Rica home kit features a subtle DNA lines design on the front. It is mainly red with a white crew neck collar, the traditional colors of the country. Our verdict: Looks a bit like the kind of knock-off football shirt you'd find on a dodgy south London market stand, with 'GOONERS' written across the chest instead of an Arsenal badge.
New Balance
YOUR World Cup kit ratings revealed NA. Poland home They say: White with a red collar and a red Swoosh on the right chest. Our verdict: Just like the England home kit, only marginally more interesting.
Nike
YOUR World Cup kit ratings revealed NA. Poland red They say: Red, based on the same template and featuring the same graphic found on the home shirt. Our verdict: Just like the England away kit, only, urm, marginally more interesting.
Nike
YOUR World Cup kit ratings revealed NA. South Korea home They say: A classic red design with dark blue shorts and red socks. Our verdict: Boring. Plain. Routine. Run-of-the-mill. Humdrum, Dreary. Banal. Unoriginal. Spiritless. Insipid. Etc.
Nike
YOUR World Cup kit ratings revealed NA. South Korea away They say: Predominantly white, with a bold blue and red graphic print subtly inspired by a tiger pattern and the Taegeuk symbol. Our verdict: Much better, although it does look a bit like a crayon wielding toddler has been let loose on the new England shirt. Which nevertheless remains a huge improvement.
Nike
YOUR World Cup kit ratings revealed 38. Tunisia away – 0% of the vote They say: The Tunisia 2018 World Cup away shirt is red with white details. Our verdict: If this football shirt was a British sporting personality, it would also be Steve Davis.
Uhlsport
YOUR World Cup kit ratings revealed 37. Tunisia home – 0% They say: White with red crew-neck collar and cuffs, and a dotted gradient graphic. Our verdict: If this football shirt was a British sporting personality, it would be Steve Davis.
Uhlsport
YOUR World Cup kit ratings revealed 36. Sweden away – 0% They say: Adidas claim the away kit features ‘a sleek design in blue and yellow’. Our verdict: That subtle pattern is very nice. One of the better ‘plain Jane’ kits to be worn in Russia.
Adidas
YOUR World Cup kit ratings revealed 35. Sweden home – 0% They say: The traditional yellow and blue, with a subtle jacquard pattern on the front. Our verdict: Nothing to write home about, to be honest. Unless you’re writing the solitary word ‘BORING’, that is.
Adidas
YOUR World Cup kit ratings revealed 34. Spain away – 0% They say: Another 1980s inspired kit. ‘Halo blue’ with bright orange trim. Our verdict: It’s … okay. Not a patch on that smashing home effort, mind.
Getty
YOUR World Cup kit ratings revealed 33. Mexico away – 0% They say: Draws inspiration from Mexico’s kits of the 1950s. White with a green, white and red chest stripe. Our verdict: Looks a bit like something Roger Federer would wear to win the Australian Open. And we’re very much okay with that.
Adidas
YOUR World Cup kit ratings revealed 32. Mexico home – 0% They say: Manufactured by Adidas, featuring the country’s traditional green colour with white applications. Our verdict: Yum.
Adidas
YOUR World Cup kit ratings revealed 31. Japan away – 0% They say: An understated all-white kit with subtle grey trim. Our verdict: Adidas deliver a top-draw kit yet again. A lovely way to round off the gallery. Thanks for reading!
Adidas
YOUR World Cup kit ratings revealed 30. Iceland away – 0% They say: The reverse of the home shirt. Our verdict: Yes, we can confirm that this is the exact reverse of the home shirt.
Errea
YOUR World Cup kit ratings revealed 29. Iceland home – 0% They say: An Errea produced kit which incorporates the traditional home colours of blue, red and white. Our verdict: Nice, if a little bit bargain basement.
Errea
YOUR World Cup kit ratings revealed 28. Uruguay home – 1% They say: A clean design in ‘silver lake blue’, with an ‘engineered jacquard graphic’ in the middle of the jersey. Our verdict: What’s Spanish for ‘horrific v neck’?
Puma
YOUR World Cup kit ratings revealed 27. Spain home – 1% They say: Made by Adidas and inspired by the classic 1994 home strip. Our verdict: GET IT ON MY TORSO NOW.
Getty Images
YOUR World Cup kit ratings revealed 26. Serbia away – 1% They say: White with red trim, with the nation’s flag running down the centre. Our verdict: Very difficult to criticise. But we'll have a go: the collar is a bit naff. Other than that, no complaints. Now be on your way, Serbia away.
Puma
YOUR World Cup kit ratings revealed 25. Russia away – 1% They say: A smart strip in white and blue with subtle geometric pattern. Our verdict: Now that’s more like it! Big mistake not making this the home kit in our ever so humble opinion.
Adidas
YOUR World Cup kit ratings revealed 24. Portugal away – 1% They say: An all-white design inspired by the country’s naval history. Our verdict: Cleaner than Kim Woodburn’s kitchen. Lovely stuff.
Nike
YOUR World Cup kit ratings revealed 23. Nigeria away – 1% They say: A clean design in dark green with subtle zigzag print. Our verdict: Oh dear, clearly Nike used all their budget on the home shirt. About as exciting as a Songs of Praise marathon.
Nike
YOUR World Cup kit ratings revealed 22. France away – 1% They say: White shirt, blue sleeves and white socks – with a distinct graphic print. Our verdict: Why couldn’t Nike have given this to England?! As smooth as Zinedine Zidane’s shiny bald head.
Nike
YOUR World Cup kit ratings revealed 21. Colombia away – 1% They say: Predominantly royal blue, with bright orange trim and a jazzy pattern down one side of the shirt. Our verdict: Very solid. Colombia right up there with Germany for the best pair of shirts in the business.
Adidas
YOUR World Cup kit ratings revealed 20. Colombia home – 1% They say: Produced by Adidas with a traditional colour scheme, inspired by the iconic home shirts worn in the 1970s and 80s. Our verdict: Yessssssss. If it’s good enough for James Rodriguez it’s good enough for us.
Adidas
YOUR World Cup kit ratings revealed 19. Brazil away – 1% They say: Based on the same design as the home shirt. Royal blue with a unique star pattern covering the front. Our verdict: Yeah, fine, okay.
Nike
YOUR World Cup kit ratings revealed 18. Argentina away – 1% They say: Black jerseys with neat white and blue trim, white shorts, black socks. Our verdict: Woof. Coming to a five-a-side court near you very soon.
Adidas
YOUR World Cup kit ratings revealed 17. Portugal home – 3% They say: The red base from Portugal’s Euro 2016 triumph is retained, with Nike introducing ‘gold-metallic trim’ and a green collar. Our verdict: Yup, it’s a template. But that doesn’t stop it from looking smart.
Nike
YOUR World Cup kit ratings revealed 16. Egypt home – 3% They say: A ‘sleek and modern’ kit with sublimated check pattern on the front and white Adidas strips down the sides. Our verdict: Decent. Would make a nice Manchester United kit.
Adidas
YOUR World Cup kit ratings revealed 15. Brazil home – 3% They say: A traditional effort with subtle zigzag pattern. Our verdict: Why change a winning formula? Bright, bold and very much Brazil.
Nike
YOUR World Cup kit ratings revealed 14. Belgium away – 3% They say: Yellow and black with a slight all-over graphic print. Our verdict: Yet another sublime Adidas away kit. *Wolfwhistles*
Adidas
YOUR World Cup kit ratings revealed 13. Peru home – 3% They say: The last ever Umbro kit for the country – Marathon Sports take over next year. Our verdict: You don’t get more traditional than this. A proper football kit for proper football men. You can shove your xG up your a***, etc.
Umbro
YOUR World Cup kit ratings revealed 12. Japan home – 3% hey say: According to Adidas: ‘the shirt’s bespoke look and graphic takes inspiration from traditional samurai armour’. Our verdict: Really lovely kit. Deserves better than the inevitable group stage exit.
Adidas
YOUR World Cup kit ratings revealed 11. Croatia away – 3% They say: The same template as the home shirt, but with a black and dark blue colour scheme. Our verdict: Very, very nice. A slightly gothic interpretation of the home shirt we all know and love. The football kit equivalent of Late Night Hollyoaks.
YOUR World Cup kit ratings revealed 10. Croatia home – 3% They say: Nike offer a new interpretation of the team’s iconic checker design, with much larger checks than usual. Our verdict: Will look great on Luka Modric if he can keep himself out of prison long enough to wear it.
YOUR World Cup kit ratings revealed 9. Argentina home – 3% They say: A classic effort that draws inspiration from the 1993 Copa America strip, coincidentally the last time Argentina won a major title. Our verdict: A stylish strip befitting of little Leo Messi. Top drawer.
Adidas
YOUR World Cup kit ratings revealed 8. England away – 4% They say: Red all over with a subtle St George’s Cross motif across the front. Our verdict: It’s red. It has a bit of a pattern thing going on across the front. We’ve already forgotten about it. Next.
Nike
YOUR World Cup kit ratings revealed 7. Germany home – 5% They say: White, black and inspired by the iconic 1990 strip. Our verdict: You’ve already seen this, and you already love it. If only it featured the colours of the German flag, though…
Adidas
YOUR World Cup kit ratings revealed 6. France home – 5% They say: A traditional look with blue jersey, white shorts and red socks. Our verdict: Another template. Another sexy kit. Damn you, Nike!
Nike
YOUR World Cup kit ratings revealed 5. Belgium home – 6% They say: A bold design that takes inspiration from the iconic 1984 top. Our verdict: Cracking. Atones for those atrocious Burrda efforts they’ve been palmed off with at the last few tournaments.
Adidas
YOUR World Cup kit ratings revealed 4. Germany away – 5% They say: The first green German jersey since Euro 2012, inspired by the 1994 away effort. Our verdict: It's Adidas. It's green. It's great. Let me wear you, Germany away.
Adidas
YOUR World Cup kit ratings revealed 3. England home – 9% They say: Manufactured by Nike, with a white base with blue for logos and a modern knit pattern on the front. Our verdict: About as inspiring as Iain Duncan Smith. This country really is going to the dogs.
Getty
YOUR World Cup kit ratings revealed 2. Nigeria home – 11% They say: An eclectic combination of bright green, white and black in an especially bold design. Our verdict: Outstanding. Sensational. Sublime. The nicest kit at this year’s World Cup and destined to be worn at Boiler Room sessions from now until 2046.
Nike
YOUR World Cup kit ratings revealed 1. Russia home – 14% They say: A clean design in red and white, inspired by the 1988 USSR jersey. Our verdict: Literally cannot muster up the enthusiasm to write anymore words about this snorefest. HOW DID YOU VOTE THIS TO BE THE BEST WORLD CUP KIT, SERIOUSLY HOW?
Adidas
Loew has been in charge for 160 matches, winning 106, more than any other Germany coach.
He started out as assistant to Juergen Klinsmann after only limited coaching experience in club football.
Loew took over after the 2006 World Cup in Germany and has led his country to at least the semi-finals in all of the five major tournaments for which he has been at the helm.
"We did not need long to get a conclusion," Grindel said. "We will extend the contract of Joachim Loew and the entire training team until 2022."
Germany's first-choice goalkeeper Manuel Neuer was included in their preliminary World Cup squad on Tuesday despite having been out of action since September but World Cup final scorer Mario Goetze was left out.
The 32-year-old Neuer suffered a broken bone in his foot and only returned to training days ago but Loew decided to take four keepers to the training camp in the Italian Alps from May 23-June 5.
Manuel Neuer has only played four games this season (Getty ) (Getty) "We will see how it goes from day-to-day," Germany coach Joachim Loew told reporters. "What is clear is that without match practice to go into a World Cup is not possible."
"He knows that. We will see at the end of the month or early June how things look and then we will have an honest discussion."
Loew left out midfielder Goetze, who scored the winning goal in the final against Argentina four years ago but has had a lacklustre season.
"We saw that it was not his season, not the normal form with his quality," Loew told reporters. "I think he has immense quality and he has proved this but he was not in that form."
Mario Goetze has been left out after a difficult season (Getty ) (Getty) Fellow Borussia Dortmund player Marco Reus' hopes of making his first World Cup got a boost after he made the cut.
Reus, who missed half of this season through injury, was ruled out of the 2014 World Cup after being injured in Germany's last warm-up match. He also missed Euro 2016 through injury.
"Marco is a special weapon, he has special gifts," Loew said of the forward. "He has great intelligence in the game and in the second half of the season he was in really good form. I expect quite a bit from him for the tournament."
Loew also opted to stick with the experienced Mario Gomez as his second-choice striker behind Timo Werner and picked Freiburg's Nils Petersen ahead of Sandro Wagner.
Timo Werner makes the cut (Getty ) (Getty) The 30-year-old Wagner has scored four goals in his eight internationals and was part of last year's Confederations Cup-winning team.
Germany will face Mexico, Sweden and South Korea in Group F at next month's World Cup in Russia.
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