Schweini tipped to succeed Lahm as German captain
Bastian Schweinsteiger has emerged as the likeliest candidate to don the captain's armband for Germany.
Die Mannschaft were stunned by the surprise retirement of Philipp Lahm, who skippered the Germans to their fourth World Cup title before making the announcement.
The full-back turns 31 in November and has represented Germany 113 times.
While the German Football Federation (DFB) have not made official announcement about a replacement, it is widely believed that head coach Joachim Loew will turn to Lahm's Bayern Munich teammate Schweinsteiger, who is also the Germany's vice-captain.
Even though many concede that Lahm will be a hard act to follow, Germany's most capped player and former captain Lothar Matthaus told Sky Sport News that he thinks the combative midfielder, who turns 30 this year, will be the natural choice.
The 1990 World Cup winner of 150 German caps said: "You don’t need to think for very long.
"I am going on the principle that Bastian Schweinsteiger will take over the captain's arm band. He is already vice-captain."
Source: Reuters
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