Kahn and Schweinsteiger both won the European Championship and World Cup with the German national team, respectively. The two Bayern legends were interviewed by Bild, discussing the new German national team coach, the team's lack of leadership players, and the future of German football.

Mr. Schweinsteiger, as the initiator of this year's "Bastian Schweinsteiger Cup," you invited former captain Oliver Kahn and also supported his foundation. Aren't you worried that after playing golf, he'll take your towel after you shower in the locker room, just like he did at Bayern?

Schweinsteiger: "That incident was quite interesting. Oli always used my towel to wipe his gloves after training. As a young player, I didn't dare to say anything back then. However, it's experiences like these that bring everyone closer. Thanks to my predecessor, Franz Beckenbauer, this event has a long tradition, and values like solidarity are very important here. So I thought about asking Oli if he would be willing to host this event with me this year."

Kahn: "This towel story has been circulating for decades, so I feel it's necessary to clarify. There were usually two towels prepared for players on the field back then. What more can I say? Anyway, one towel was enough for Bastian. I was very happy to receive this invitation, because I've known about this event since Franz Beckenbauer's time. It's just that I never had the chance to participate with Franz, and I still regret that to this day."

Franz Beckenbauer won the World Cup with the German national team as both a player and a coach. The new German national team coach, Jurgen Klopp, sees the Emperor of Football as a role model, believing that learning from the most successful predecessors is the best way. After three consecutive disappointing World Cup performances, can Klopp lead the German national team back to its peak?

Schweinsteiger: "Comparing Jurgen Klopp to Beckenbauer doesn't help Klopp. I believe he is the most suitable coach for the German national team right now. However, we cannot set our expectations too high. It will require very hard work to bring the national team back to its former position, which is among the world's top teams. In this regard, I think the players should take on more responsibility. Players must once again strive to give their all for the German jersey. I can say that if every German national team player had the same attitude as Oli at the World Cup, these problems wouldn't have happened."

Kahn: "The German national team has changed different coaches in the last three World Cups, but the team has never really functioned. Therefore, I don't think changing the coach is the only decisive factor. The problems in German football are much deeper. Let me give you an example. I don't remember any German national team that had to temporarily look for players willing to take penalties during a penalty shootout. What's missing on the field are those who are willing to take responsibility. Therefore, the first question we should consider is what type of players we want to develop in the coming years."

Is there a problem of insufficient leadership players in the German national team?

Schweinsteiger: "I also didn't see enough German national team leaders at the World Cup. I think Kimmich is one, and Nmecha can also be included. After that, it's hard to find more. One thing is very telling: Musiala's most brilliant moment in this tournament was a tackle he made in the Round of 16 against Paraguay. I haven't seen such a scene in a long time.

In a previous match, Musiala was fouled 12 times by opponents, and after each foul, he accepted a handshake when the opponent offered their hand. Oli, I ask you, if an opponent has fouled you for the fourth time, would you still shake his hand?"

Kahn: "You're not serious about asking that question, are you? (laughs) This problem actually starts with the Bundesliga clubs. When I observe these German clubs, I ask myself: which German players can consistently take responsibility on the field for a long time?"

Schweinsteiger: "Whether at Bayern or in the German national team, I always knew who the team leaders were. If you have true leadership players, you won't be eliminated in the group stage for two consecutive World Cups, and then in the Round of 16 in another World Cup."

The German national team's lack of physical confrontation in World Cup matches has also become a topic of discussion.

Schweinsteiger: "No matter how people view Argentina's playing style, the fighting spirit they showed is more to my liking than Germany's performance at the World Cup. Argentinians won't let opponents bully them, just like we used to. You must have many fighters in your team, but the current German team no longer has such players."

Kahn: "Spain also pushed back against Argentina in the final, and they engaged in very tough confrontations. I remember Puyol once told me: 'If we had your fighting spirit, the German fighting spirit, what could Spain achieve?' They later made efforts in this regard. Now they have not only further developed their playing style but also built the necessary fighting spirit."

Schweinsteiger: "When I talk to players like Ibrahimovic, Rooney, or Paul Pogba, they all tell me the same thing: 'What you Germans have lost is exactly what we always wanted from you.'"

Why did this happen?

Schweinsteiger: "In my opinion, during Pep Guardiola's time at Bayern from 2013 to 2016, we overly followed his football philosophy. Look at the German national team's results since then. After reaching the semifinals of the 2016 European Championship, reaching the quarterfinals of the 2021 European Championship is the best result since. For many years before that, we reached at least the semifinals in every major tournament."

Kahn: "Our players are clearly no longer accustomed to the extreme physical intensity of top international matches. This was particularly evident against Paraguay. We were still a bit too 'honest' in our play."

Does the German national team need a major generational change now?

Kahn: "Whether young or old, the best players should be on the field. What this team needs now is competition, and there must be competition for every position."

Schweinsteiger: "I completely agree with Oli. Everything must start from scratch. Former key players can no longer take their starting positions for granted. No matter what your name is, everyone must compete for their position again. No one should have a guaranteed starting position anymore."

In this situation, how should the German national team find a new number one goalkeeper after Neuer?

Kahn: "Before the World Cup, Oliver Baumann was suddenly relegated to second-choice goalkeeper, which bothered me. Nevertheless, goalkeepers must still face competition. Before the 2006 World Cup, it was the same situation between Lehmann and me. Currently, I don't see a clear number one goalkeeper. The goalkeeper position should now also be determined solely by performance."

Schweinsteiger: "For me, whether a player can withstand pressure is a very important criterion. Leadership players grow in such situations, and this is precisely what we are currently lacking. Only in such situations will you know that those who can withstand pressure are the ones you can truly rely on."

After a poor World Cup performance, fans are now looking forward to the Bundesliga again. Do you think there will be any surprises this season? Or will Bayern still be the champions?

Kahn: "I don't know why the situation would change this season. On the contrary, I think Bayern's advantage will further increase. Their dominance at both the economic and sporting levels will only grow stronger. Bayern has the best players in the world, and they even have the ability to reject offers exceeding 150 million euros for Olise. Faced with such strength, I don't know which other club in Germany can threaten Bayern."

Schweinsteiger: "It would certainly be good if the Bundesliga could have more suspense. However, I also think this is more of a wish. Therefore, we should focus more on whether Bundesliga clubs can achieve better results in the Champions League. This can also lay the economic foundation for other clubs to close the gap with Bayern again."

AF's PC site is now live! Browse full news, comments, match details and stats on your computer. Visit: www.allfootballapp.com