Germany manager Joachim Low was pleased with his side's performance after a 0-0 draw in their UEFA Nations League opener with France.
Die Mannschaft were very much the better team in the second half but with some heroic goalkeeping from France's Alhponse Areola, the score stayed level throughout and both sides shared the points.
It was Low's first competitive game since the World Cup in Russia where his side were sent home with a wimper after losing to South Korea, ending their title defence.
Quoted by FourFourTwo, Low told reporters that they were aware of the dangers that Didier Deschamps' side possessed, but felt that his side have a long way to go to get rid of any hurt from recent memory.
"Our performance was important. It was important to show a reaction," he said.
"And, I think, the team did well. We could have scored some goals against the World Cup winners.
"We knew that France would pack their half with 10 players. It was important to have a defensive stability, to not let them hit us on the counter-attack. This is France's biggest quality, we defended it well. It was okay defensively and that's a starting-point."
Low - who has been in charge of Die Mannschaft since 2006 - fully acknowledges that recovery will take time and can only be distinguished with glory at Euro 2020.
"It would be naive to believe that one match has erased everything from the World Cup," he added.
"It's a long process, we can only rehabilitate ourselves at the next tournament."