Germany coach Joachim Löw concedes the process which led to the end of Michael Ballack’s international career should have been handled better.

Ballack was expected to lead his country at last year’s World Cup finals but suffered an injury in Chelsea’s FA Cup final clash with Portsmouth which ruled him out of the tournament.

The resulting success of a young German team in South Africa prompted Löw to announce in June that he would not be selecting Ballack again as it went against his new focus on youth development. The midfielder, who turned 35 in September, lashed out at Löw for treating him disrespectfully and even turned down the offer of a testimonial match for Germany.

Germany coach Joachim Löw says his team will have no fear when they start their Euro 2012 campaign against Portugal, having also drawn Denmark and World Cup finalists Holland in Group B.

Germany were the first team to book their Euro 2012 place, winning all 10 of their qualification matches.

They face Portugal in Lviv on Saturday June 9, Holland in Kharkiv on Wednesday June 13, then finish against Denmark in Lviv again, on Sunday June 17.

The German team played its last game of 2011 on Tuesday in a friendly against the Netherlands, and coach Joachim Löw can send the team home for the year with a smile on his face.

“Holland was a custom-made opponent,” Löw said in the post-game press conference. “Holland had no chance.”

The team’s 3-0 win in Hamburg was more than just a pride-boosting dressing down of the World Cup runners-up. It was a final confirmation that Löw’s Germany is running like a well-oiled machine heading into next summer’s European Championship.

Coach Joachim Löw has insisted his side have nothing to fear ahead of Tuesday’s friendly against World Cup finalists the Netherlands in Hamburg as they look to finish 2011 in style.

After winning all 10 of their Euro 2012 qualifiers and humbling Brazil in an August friendly, Löw is looking for Germany’s first win over the Dutch since 1996 in what will be his 75th international as national team coach.

Germany survived a scare on Friday as the guests had to come from 3-1 down to seal a 3-3 draw with Euro 2012 co-hosts the Ukraine in a thrilling friendly.

Germany was without a few of its usual players. Captain Philipp Lahm was given the night off, with his captain’s band being passed on to Mario Gomez. Midfielder Bastian Schweinsteiger, normally a leading playmaker, was out with a broken collarbone.

The team’s stalwart goalkeeper, Manuel Neuer, was also not in the lineup, being replaced by Hanover’s 22-year-old keeper, Ron-Robert Zieler, who made his national team debut.

The German Football Association has increased its win bonus for the European Championships in Poland and Ukraine next year. Each player will get €300,000 should Germany carry home the title.

That is the most that has ever been offered to the national team players for winning the biggest European competition, matching the reward the players would have taken home if they’d won the 2006 World Cup in Germany, and a nice chunk more than the €250,000 they would have received if they had won the 2010 World Cup in South Africa.

Germany captain Philipp Lahm will be rested for the friendly games in Ukraine (November, 11th) and against Netherlands in Hamburg (November, 15th) later this month after a busy year for club and country, coach Joachim Löw said on Friday.

Löw said Bayern München’s Lahm had played a lot of 90-minute games and deserved a break. “That is why he gets a rest and I get the chance to test alternatives for the left back position,” Löw said in a statement.

Germany qualified for the Euro 2012 finals in style after winning all 10 of their qualifiers. Löw also gave Bayern München’s keeper Manuel Neuer a one-game break and will use substitutes Tim Wiese and Ron-Robert Zieler against Ukraine.

First choice keeper Neuer will be back in the fold against the Dutch four days later. “We want to finish this successful year on a positive note,” Löw said. “It is also important to play in Ukraine and get experience ahead of the tournament next year.”

Germany completed a perfect EURO 2012 qualifying campaign with their tenth win from ten games by beating Belgium 3-1 in Dusseldorf.

Two goals in the space of three first-half minutes from Mesut Ozil and Andre Schurrle put the hosts on course for yet another victory, with Mario Gomez adding a third just after the interval. Marouane Fellaini grabbed a consolation in the 86th minute but it was not enough for Belgium to finish second in Group A.

Coach Joachim Löw donated his lucky sweater from the 2010 World Cup to a children’s charity, which then sold it for €1 million to retailer Galeria Kaufhof, which then donated it to a German football museum being built by the German Football Federation (DFB).

“I hope that the pullover will have a worthy place in the museum and will be well looked after,” said Löw as he handed over the cashmere sweater.

“Maybe I will still need it to bring me luck in other tournaments.”

Germany coach Joachim Loew has excused midfielder Mario Goetze for the final European Championship qualifier against Belgium on Tuesday.

“Goetze had a lot of games last season and has a lot coming up (for Borussia Dortmund) so we simply decided to give him a bit of a rest,” Loew’s assistant Hansi Flick said Sunday.

Germany tops Group A and has already qualified for next year’s tournament with nine wins from nine games.