Last updated on .From the section European Football

Joachim Low has been Germany coach for the last eight years since succeeding Jurgen Klinsmann

Germany coach Joachim Low says he will remain in the post until at least the 2016 European Championship in France.

There was speculation he may step down after Germany lifted the World Cup in Brazil with a 1-0 victory over Argentina earlier this month.

Low, 54, who replaced Jurgen Klinsmann in 2006, had signed a new contract until 2016 earlier this year.

World Cup 2014: Germany 1-0 Argentina (aet) highlights

"I can imagine nothing better than continuing to work with this team," he told the German FA website. external-link

Low said he needed some time to come to terms with his emotions after the World Cup but had not thought "even for a second'' about stepping down.

He said: "We celebrated a gigantic success in Brazil, but there are still further goals that we want to accomplish.

"The 2014 World Cup was a high point for all of us, but it was not an end point."

Germany became the first European team to win the World Cup in South America and achieved their first success since 1990, when they also beat Argentina, in Rome.

They will meet Argentina again in a friendly in Dusseldorf on 3 September.

Before then, Low will have to find an assistant coach and a new captain. Hansi Flick, his assistant throughout his tenure, is to be the German FA's technical director. Philipp Lahm, captain since 2010, ended his Germany career as soon as the team returned home.