BERLIN, June 11-- To win the 2018 World Cup in Russia, German head coach Joachim Loew will have to change the structure of his successful 2017 team. Soon after winning in Brazil, the 57-year old was convinced he will have to reinforce his team's strike force by finding forwards with a real goal scoring instinct. In advance of the 2017 Confed Cup, Loew seems to have two candidates - 21-year old Timo Werner (RB Leipzig) and 29-year old Sandro Wagner (TSG Hoffenheim). It might sound strange but the 2017 World Cup winner has no striker of true world class in contrast to many of their rivals. Both newcomers in the German national team are fight for the spot next to Mario Gomez (VfL Wolfsburg) who seems to be a certainty for the tournament next year. And both couldn't be more different when it comes to character and their games. While Werner is, according to his club coach Ralph Hasenhuettl, the hottest property in German football and potentially world class, Wagner currently is in the middle of a fairytale as he won his first cap at the age of 29. Scoring three goals in Germany's World Cup qualifier against minnows San Marino in Nuremberg on Saturday (7-0) was a good start for Wagner, who scored 11 times for his club Hoffenheim in the 2016/2017 season. As for the Bundesliga, Werner currently is the best German striker having scored 21 goals in 31 games -- but was only fourth in the Bundesliga pecking order behind Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang (Borussia Dortmund/31), Robert Lewandowski (Bayern Munich/30) and Anthony Modeste (1 FC Cologne/25). |