Football Germany in shock! After Russia in 2018, the DFB-Elf are eliminated for the second time in a row in the World Cup preliminary round. BILD names three bitter truths!
Too nice!
A German defense chief has never chosen such words for his team! Antonio Rüdiger (29) with a tough admission to the World Cup.
Rüdiger: “The last greed, this dirty thing – we miss that. We are a very, very nice team.”
The real star did not foam with anger at this criticism, but was rather close to tears. His analysis read: “We’re back to square one – that’s the harsh reality. A lot of talent, all well and good – but there is simply more to it. There are many other factors…”
In plain language: The team lacks real leaders!
After the defeat at the start of the World Cup (1: 2 against Japan), BILD had the headline about the self-chosen leading player: “Boss Discussion about Kimmich”
After leaving, Joshua Kimmich (27) questioned himself.
The Bayern star: “Today is the worst day of my career. I’m afraid I’ll fall into a hole! It makes you think, these failures are connected to my person. And that’s not something you want to stand for.” Kimmich has been with the national team since May 2016, was eliminated twice in the preliminary round of the World Cup and in the knockout stages of the European Championship.
4 goals in World Cup These scenes really hurt
Kimmich only speaks for himself. Nevertheless, he is not alone in the lack of leader analysis: World champions Manuel Neuer (36) and Thomas Müller (33) were also unable to advance in the team. Ilkay Gündogan (32) showed once again that he is not the player in the DFB dress who steers the team as captain at Manchester City. In the new Kimmich generation, his Munich colleague Leon Goretzka (27) fell into the lead hole.
Striker Niclas Füllkrug, who only joined the team for the tournament, stated: “I had the feeling that it was a team that really wanted success – but wasn’t 100 percent ready for it.”
Had so much planned for the World Cup: Bayern star Joshua Kimmich
Too stupid!
The problem was recognized internally before the tournament. BILD knows: The sporting leadership feared that this generation would not have “the balls” (original sound) to really play a role in the fight for the world title. In fact, the sporting orientation initially seemed to work, Germany always took the lead against Japan and Costa Rica. It is incomprehensible to everyone involved why the team kept collapsing afterwards and gave up the game.
DFB director Oliver Bierhoff analyzed after the World Cup: “It has been going on for two or three years that we have games under control, give them up again, lose the thread. In the end, that could also be seen in the group.”
With the unnecessary bankruptcy against Japan (1: 2), Germany started the tournament with a big mortgage. The team no longer had the round of 16 in their own hands and had to hope for support from Spain against Japan. But: With a lot of goals against Costa Rica, Spain could have been put under pressure and thrown out of the tournament with at least eight goals. But instead it was only 1-0 at half-time because Germany was too careless in front of goal (32 shots on target!). Joshua Kimmich: “I think it was possible to score eight goals today.” And: “At the end of the day you have to say that it’s a lot of inability.”
Too bad!
Germany was always feared in the world, known as a tournament team, with strong types and successful football. But the giant has become a dwarf. Since EURO 2016, the team has won only three times in eleven games.
Ilkay Gündogan: “We as Germany have to have different standards and take a good look at ourselves. We just didn’t manage to bring the best onto the pitch as a group – maybe also individually. Everyone needs to look in the mirror and say it wasn’t good. I think we make too many mistakes in all parts of the game. We lose balls too easily and miss goals too easily.”
According to BILD information, Ilkay Gündogan (32) should be thinking hard about retiring from the national team.
Frustration after the final whistle: Armel Bella-Kotchap, Kai Havertz, David Raum, Jonas Hofmann, Christian Günter, Leon Goretzka and Thomas Müller (from left)
In the three preliminary round games, the DFB team conceded five goals and never kept a clean sheet. Antonio Rüdiger: “We didn’t do well defensively as a team, you have to say that.” Defenders like Nico Schlotterbeck (23), Niklas Süle (27) and David Raum (24) lack international class.
And Germany quality in too many positions!
Hansi Flick: “In Germany we’ve been talking about nines that we need for years, about strong full-backs. I think it’s important for the future of German football to look at education.”
DFB boss announces crisis summit Bierhoff has to report
After the EM preliminary round in 2000, the DFB restructured the player training. Nine years later, the German U21s became European champions with players like Sami Khedira, Jerome Boateng & Co. It took five more years for the same generation to win the World Cup in Brazil in 2014.
A whole 14 years from the training change to the title. Germany could face a long dry spell in sport…
