Germany's 1-0 loss to Mexico in their World Cup opener was a major shock to a team that some analysts favor to win their second straight title. And while Die Mannschaft try to bounce back by beating Sweden this evening, officials back home are looking far beyond this year's tournament. Youth development has been the key to the country's current run, and as Guy Henderson reports, that is also the plan for sustaining success for many years to come.  

The current batch aren't bad. The next generation may be just as good. And 18-year-old David Philipp is one of the best amongst them. English Premier League sides Liverpool and Tottenham made inquiries at one point. But this attacking midfielder's still training with the Under-19s at mid-table German Bundesliga side Werder Bremen. He signed a new contract in April. Philipp's family's in Hamburg which isn't far away. But there was something else.

DAVID PHILIPP WERDER BREMAN U19 MIDFIELDER "It's a great big family. They look after you not only professionally, but also as human beings, they take care of you. Many of the team members I've known since I've been here are still around. If you have a bad season, they say 'don't worry — we trust you — show us what you can do next season'. That's what Bremen is so well known for."

Europe's elite sides might all spend big on nurturing talent. But Germany's developed a system that digs deep. Shocked into action through humiliation. The low point for the German national side came in 2000.

GUY HENDERSON BERLIN "That led to a whole load of soul searching for the German Football Association which ultimately led the German Football Association back here to football's grassroots."

Youth academies became compulsory for all teams in the top two divisions. But a whole network has since sprung up across the country. Even small youth clubs get help. If any of Berlin's Fortuna Pankow players make it big in the years ahead, for example, they'll receive a paycheck for their contribution.

DAVID THOBEN FORTUNA PANKOW U13 COACH "The next Messi, or the next Boateng if you refer to a German club, could come from anywhere. It could come from a professional club, or it could come from a club like this, so because you never know where the next huge talent is, you need to support or influence a wide range of sectors."

There's a national curriculum of sorts. From 11 to 13, the kids are encouraged to focus on fancy footwork. It's left boys like Louis Velasco positively brimming with self-confidence.

LOUIS VELASCO FORTUNA PANKOW U13 FORWARD "The dream would be firstly to take it to the Bundesliga — I think because it's the main league in Germany that would be the dream. And from there on, it depends which clubs are interested, and probably take it from there. I'd love to play in the Premier League one day because that's seen as the best and most demanding league."

That is the hard part. After all that work -- eventually — the biggest clubs come calling. Even Philipp admits he may one day move on. Plus, his coach says, others are in on the secret.

MARCO GROTTE WERDER BERMAN U19 COACH "A few years ago, we were on top in terms of the development of young players. But nowadays other countries have caught up in terms of the level schooling, the athletics programs, and so on. If you look at the youth national sides, England are on top, they have many interesting young players."

But at this World Cup, the bookies are backing Germany to repeat their 2014 heroics and hold onto the trophy. Consistency that's been a generation in the making. Guy Henderson, CGTN, Berlin.