Germany coach Joachim Low heaps praise on Jerome Boateng for progress

Germany coach Joachim Low has heaped praise upon defender Jerome Boateng, who he feels has made great progress in recent years.

The defender was a key component of the side which won the World Cup in Brazil in the summer and is seen as a crucial player in the Bayern Munich back line.

Boateng, whose father is Ghanaian and the brother Ghana international midfielder Kevin-Prince, has been instrumental in the recent successes of Germany and his Munich-based side.

And Low believes the 26-year-old has made great strides forward with club and country recently.

“Jerome has made extreme progress in the past two years,” the coach told Kicker.

“I am thrilled with him because he plays with incredible consistency.

“His passes are excellent, right and left. In the World Cup final he was like Mats Hummels and put in a superior performance.”

The 54-year-old guided the country to glory this year and is contracted to the national team until after Euro 2016 and he insists that his side must improve even further to have a good chance of winning a second consecutive major honour.

“I know that we now have to reinvent in some areas us. Our opponents have been analysing the way we play, so we have set new targets.