Müller: Germany are no favourites but will not flop like 2018, 2022

Germany's 2014 World Cup winner Thomas Müller does not see his former side as title favourites this time because the squad is still developing.

The expanded World Cup in North America kicks off on Thursday, with Germany first in action against Curaçao in Group E on Sunday.

Vancouver Whitecaps forward Müller is now retired from internationals but was part of the Germany squad which crashed out in the group stages in 2018 and 2022.

He was previously part of the team that reached the semi-finals against eventual winners Spain in 2010 before going on to lift the trophy four years later.

"I see parallels with the World Cup in 2010 rather than with the 2014 one because this team has not really matured super well together, but the journey is only really beginning now," he told reporters at a brand event on Monday before flying to North America as a TV pundit.

"We had the feeling in 2014 that the players, the core, they were all a bit closer to their peak."

Of the world champion team from 12 years ago in Brazil, only goalkeeper Manuel Neuer remains.

Germany also face Ivory Coast and Ecuador in the group phase of this year's 48-team tournament, where eight third-placed teams will also progress to the knockout rounds along with the top two in each group.

"I don't see any banana skins in the group stage," he said, assuming there would be no repeat of Germany's humbling in the last two editions.

Germany are heading to their World Cup base in North Carolina on Monday following Saturday's 2-1 friendly win over the US in Chicago.