Germanium-based　composites　have　been　recognized　as　attractive　candidates　of　anode　materials　for　lithium-ion　batteries　(LIBs),　on　account　of　their　high　capacity　properties,　prominent　ion　diffusivity　and　high　electronic　conductibility.　Nevertheless,　similar　to　other　alloy　materials,　the　large　volume　expansion　of　germanium　(Ge)　presents　during　cycling,　resulting　in　limited　development　of　their　practical　application.　Recently,　co-doped　heteroatom　(e.g.,　N,　S,　B,　and　P)　has　been　considered　to　be　a　promising　strategy　with　the　synergetic　effect,　the　mesoporous　carbon　also　shows　advantage　for　enhancing　electrochemical　stability.　Herein,　we　design　an　effective　route　to　fabricate　Ge　nanoparticles　confined　within　N,　S　co-doped　ordered　mesoporous　carbon　via　nanocasting　route.　Benefited　from　the　synergistic　function　of　the　ultra-small　dispersed　Ge　nanoparticles　and　N,　S　co-doped　mesoporous　carbon　matrix,　the　Ge/OMC-N-S　delivers　the　outstanding　lithium　storage　behaviour.　As　results,　when　used　as　an　anode　for　LIBs,　Ge/OMC-N-S　exhibits　a　high　reversible　capacity　of　1271　mA　h　g−1　after　200　cycles　at　a　current　density　of　0.1　A　g−1,　remarkable　rate　performance　(623　mA　h　g−1　at　2.0　A　g−1),　and　exceptional　long-term　cycling　life　(capacity　of　641　mA　h　g−1　in　1000　cycles).　Furthermore,　we　expect　the　potential　of　such　an　optimized　configuration　of　carbon-encapsulating　to　enable　the　application　of　other　alloy-type　anodes.　©　2019　Elsevier　Ltd