Germany captain Manuel Neuer is adamant he will have recovered from injury in time for the World Cup in June.
The Bayern Munich goalkeeper underwent surgery in September after fracturing a metatarsal in his left foot for the second time this year.
While hopeful of regaining fitness soon after the winter break, Neuer remains on crutches and is hesitant to put an exact timeframe on his return.
However, the 31-year-old is confident he will be ready to help Die Mannschaft defend their title in Russia.
"In my opinion, nothing stands in the way of my World Cup participation," Neuer told the DFB's official website.
An icon on and off the pitch receieved the Golden Heart award yesterday December 10, 2017
"It would be nice if I can say goodbye to my two 'friends' [crutches] for Christmas, that would be the best present.
"[But] another injury to the bones would be sub-optimal, so you have to be very careful there. You should not make mistakes anymore."
Neuer has captained Germany since September 2016 and was first-choice in both 2010 and 2014.
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