Germany coach Julian Nagelsmann has come to the defence of Florian Wirtz, saying the 22-year-old midfielder's slow start at Liverpool is simply part of his adjustment to the Premier League.

Germany's Joshua Kimmich netted twice to power his side to a 4-0 home win over Luxembourg in a World Cup qualifier on Friday where the visitors went down to 10 men in the first half and the hosts moved top of the standings in a tight Group A.

Former Germany defender Jerome Boateng, who won the World Cup in 2014, formally announced his retirement from the game on Friday.

The Netherlands were held to a 1-1 draw by Poland in Rotterdam in Group G despite taking the lead in the first half through Denzel Dumfries.

Arsenal forward Kai Havertz will miss Germany's World Cup qualifiers against Slovenia and Northern Ireland next month, the German soccer federation's (DFB) national team director Rudi Voeller said.

Former Germany and Bayern Munich forward Thomas Mueller has signed a season-long deal with Major League Soccer (MLS) side Vancouver Whitecaps, the Canadian club said on Wednesday.

The 69-year-old faces lengthy coalition negotiations after the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) surged to a historic second place in a fractured vote following the collapse of Chancellor Olaf Scholz's unloved three-way alliance.

Arduous coalition negotiations tend to drag on for weeks if not months in Germany, spelling long stretches of political paralysis before a new chancellor takes charge.

Netherlands and Hungary went into the match tied on five points each and with the winner set to join Germany in ensuring their progress from Group A3 to the quarter-finals.

"National team coach Julian Nagelsmann has nominated Jonathan Burkardt in Havertz's place. Get well soon Kai," Germany announced on X on Sunday.

Germany will provide Bangladesh with 1 billion euro over the next decade to support renewable energy projects, including an initial 15 million euro this year, Environment, Forest, and Climate Change Adviser Syeda Rizwana Hasan said yesterday.

The young oak "will benefit from the roots of the old tree and will be more resistant to threats", gardener Jana Kretschmer told AFP.

New-look Germany, who have set their sights on the 2026 World Cup after their quarter-final run at the Euro on home soil in July, no longer have any 2014 World Cup winners in the squad following the international retirements of Thomas Mueller, Toni Kroos and Manuel Neuer.

The Embassy of Germany in Dhaka, earlier today, announced that it will be increasing the blocked account amount for student visa applicants to €11,904.

"After 131 national team games and 45 goals, I am saying goodbye," Mueller said in a video statement announcing his decision.

"It's sad that I'll probably never be a part of a home Euros in my career again," the coach said. "That hurts. And having to wait two years to become world champions, that hurts as well."

Germany coach Julian Nagelsmann lamented the decision to deny his side a late penalty in Friday's 2-1 Euro 2024 loss to Spain, saying "the referee blew in favour of Spain a little".

Retiring Germany midfielder Toni Kroos said he was optimistic for the team's future despite their "bitter" Euro 2024 exit after a 2-1 quarterfinal loss to Spain in extra time on Friday.

Kroos, who won the Champions League with Real Madrid last month and will hang up his boots after the Euros, came out of international retirement this year to chase the one major trophy missing from a vast haul that also includes the 2014 World Cup.

If enough people despair of emancipatory politics and accept the withdrawal into buffoonery, the political space for neo-fascism widens.