Germany midfielder Marco Reus says the World Cup winners must set themselves a minimum target of reaching the Euro 2016 semifinals this summer.
Although Joachim Low's men were rarely at their best in qualifying, they will nevertheless be regarded as the team to beat in France.
Reus, who missed the 2014 World Cup due to an injury he picked up just before he was due to fly to Brazil, has told Welt am Sonntag that anything other than a last-four berth would be too little.
"We always make at least the semifinals and that has to be our aim this time too,'' he said. "We weren't at our best in qualification, and we weren't up to the standards of the boys in Brazil back in 2014.
"We're all perfectly aware of that, but I'm sure the coach will be able to get us in the right frame of mind.''
Germany face Ukraine, Northern Ireland and Poland in Group C, kicking off their bid for success against the joint hosts of the last European Championship in Lille on June 12.