Another World Cup, another early exit.
Germany should be getting used to disappointment, but it doesn鈥檛 make it any less painful for a traditional soccer heavyweight that had been tentatively hoping for a fifth World Cup title .
Germany did manage to survive the group stage for the first time since winning the trophy in 2014, but it鈥檚 little consolation after Monday鈥檚 sent the team home after the first knockout game.
鈥淲e messed it up,鈥� Joshua Kimmich told reporters after the match in Foxborough, Massachusetts.
It was a familiar feeling for the Germany captain who also struggled for explanations after the team鈥檚 in Qatar.
鈥淎s a child, when you watched the national team during tournaments, it was always semifinals, finals, or world champions. There was always lots of success. You grew up with that, cheering them on,鈥� the 31-year-old Kimmich said Monday, when he apologized for the team failing to meet expectations.
鈥淎ll of us who were on the pitch should feel that, rather than looking to blame someone else. We blew it,鈥� Kimmich said in comments reported by dpa.
Coach under fire
Germany coach Julian Nagelsmann is in the firing line after some contentious calls 鈥� particularly after recalling veteran goalkeeper Manuel Neuer from international retirement just before the tournament after months of denials.
The 40-year-old Neuer failed to justify his inclusion at the expense of Hoffenheim鈥檚 Oliver Baumann, and was arguably at fault for Ecuador鈥檚 winning goal in the last group game.
鈥淚 gave it my all,鈥� Neuer said.
Nagelsmann finally bowed to pressure and gave forward Deniz Undav his first start against Paraguay, but the move didn鈥檛 pay off as the was unable to add to his three goals and two assists from his first two games as a substitute.
Nagelsmann was also criticized for not playing forward Nick Woltemade at all until he sent him on with extra time looming against Paraguay. Woltemade was among three players who missed in the penalty shootout.
False hope
Nagelsmann had raised expectations by saying Germany was aiming to win the title. Ultimately, his team failed to show any justification for such hopes.
Germany played four games at the World Cup, winning two against debutant Cura莽ao and Ivory Coast, before the losses to Ecuador and Paraguay.
While Paraguay鈥檚 win was joyously celebrated on the streets of its capital, Asunci贸n, it was considered a major shock 鈥� few German fans knew any of the Paraguayan players before the match, and they were already looking forward to a likely Round of 16 meeting with France, which plays Sweden on Tuesday.
鈥淵ou have to beat such a team,鈥� Neuer said of Paraguay. 鈥淭hat鈥檚 a fact when you want to measure yourself against teams like France.鈥�
Nagelsmann has vowed to stay on as coach, though he was also criticized for his prickly responses to questions after the game.
鈥淚鈥檓 still convinced that he鈥檚 probably the right one to continue,鈥� Germany team director Rudi V枚ller said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 not only up to me.鈥�
Serious talks ahead
Bernd Neuendorf, the president of the German soccer federation, said Tuesday he already met 鈥渁t length鈥� with Nagelsmann, V枚ller and sporting director Andreas Rettig, and they agreed 鈥渙ur performance at the World Cup fell short of our standards.鈥�
鈥淚n the coming days, we will calmly look at the reasons why the team was unable to realize its potential and failed to meet both its own expectations and those of the German football community,鈥� Neuendorf said. 鈥淎fter such a crushing blow, we cannot and do not wish to simply return to business as usual.鈥�
Nagelsmann has a in 2028.
Schadenfreude takes over
German Chancellor Friedrich Merz illustrated the disconnect between the German team鈥檚 hopes and reality better than most when he wrote on social media, 鈥淲hat a match, @DFB_Team! You thrilled our country with your commitment and team spirit at this World Cup. We鈥檙e proud of you.鈥�
Merz was quickly mocked for his post on X, where many users asked which match he was referring to. The words 鈥渨hich match鈥� began trending.
鈥淚 honestly don鈥檛 know which was worse. The match or this analysis,鈥� FDP politician Marie-Agnes Strack-Zimmermann wrote.
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