Paul Breitner believes Germany should only be judged on their performances at World Cups after they sealed qualification for Euro 2016.
Germany clinched a place at next year's finals in France with a 2-1 win over Georgia in their Group D finale on Sunday.
After winning the World Cup for a fourth time last year, Germany are favourites add a fourth European crown to their list of honours with victory in the Stade de France final.
However, former Germany international Breitner - who won the 1972 European Championship and the 1974 World Cup - has been quick to play down the significance of prospective success in France for Joachim Low's men.
He told Omnisport: "I think that a European Championship is not important as a World Cup. A European Championship is for me just something like 'stop over place' where you can analyse the development of your players during the last two years.
"The World Cup is always the most important thing. During the European Championship a coach can analyse his team and he can see who is important for the team or not.
"Now it is a big challenge for Joachim Low to replace important players who left the German football team. He knows that and we also know that. So we should be glad that we are qualified for the European Championship in France.
"We all have trust in Joachim Low and he will do his best to improve the team until the tournament in France and then until the [World Cup] tournament in Russia in 2018.
"The most important is to play a good role at the World Cup. It is not important to play in a successful way against Ireland or Georgia. Only success at the World Cup counts."
