Germany should view reaching the World Cup semi-finals as a success, 2014 winner Bastian Schweinsteiger said on Saturday.

"We must not forget that the best result in the last 10 years was a quarter-final at Euro 2024. That is why I would like us to reach the semi-finals," Schweinsteiger told the Schwäbische Zeitung.

The former midfielder, now a top German TV pundit, picked France as his favourites for the men's tournament in the US, Canada and Mexico, which begins on Thursday.

Germany could beat France in a one-off game, but don't have the quality to go all the way, the 41-year-old believes.

"If everything works out for us, we can beat the big nations like France and Spain. But then everything really has to go right," Schweinsteiger stressed. "I do not see us as top favourites."