German media have labelled their World Cup exit a ‘colossal disgrace’ and declared that Julian Nagelsmann ‘grossly overestimated his team and his own abilities’.
Nagelsmann’s side were beaten 4-3 on penalties by Paraguay – the first time Germany have lost a World Cup shoot-out – after the South Americans had held them to a 1-1 draw.
Germany had felt aggrieved after Jonathan Tah, who put the decisive penalty over the bar, had seen an extra time goal controversially ruled out following a VAR review.
Nagelsmann insisted he would not resign following Germany’s exit, but their elimination has generated a strong reaction and calls for change back home.
German newspaper BILD branded the defeat as a ‘colossal disgrace’ and said the national team had ’embarrassed itself to the bone’.
‘In the first half, the DFB eleven presented itself completely without ideas,’ BILD assessed, as they gave Nagelsmann their lowest possible rating.
German media have launched a stinging attack on their national team following their shock World Cup exit to Paraguay
Julian Nagelsmann has largely been blamed for the last-32 exit, which was labelled a ‘collosal disgrace’ by BILD
‘During the interval, Nagelsmann more crosses, Germany came out of the dressing room improved.
‘A dramatically weak performance by our national team, for which Nagelsmann is responsible.’
Kicker declared the elimination as an ‘indictment of German football and Nagelsmann’, stating that the national team coach has ‘not managed to bundle and promote the strengths of his team.’
‘The next embarrassment,’ the Suddeutsche Zeitung concluded, with one of their writers stating ‘Someone should tell Julian Nagelsmann: It can’t go on.’
Dietmar Hamann, who was part of the Germany side that reached the 2002 World Cup final, firmly blamed Nagelsmann for the national team’s latest failure as he accused the 38-year-old of ‘barely watching’ matches to analyse players or opponents.
‘I believe heart comes from team spirit, from being together, from trusting that your teammates will be there when you need them. I feel that was never the case under this coach,’ Hamann said on RTE.
‘They had a few performances that were okay, but on average their performances were disappointing. It was like that at the European Championships, it was like that at the qualifiers, and it was like that at the World Cup. They always talk about the atmosphere in the camp – it’s great to say that, but you have to show it!”
‘Obviously it’s the coach, it’s a coach’s job to get the lads together. This guy rarely watches games.
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Nagelsmann insisted he will not resign as head coach by calls have been made for his sacking
Kicker declared the elimination as an ‘indictment of German football and Nagelsmann’
‘He wasn’t even in Milan to see Bisseck, a player he should have taken to the World Cup. In two and a half years, he never went to Brentford to watch Schade, a player who scored ten goals last season. He probably watches one or two Bundesliga games a month.
‘There were Champions League matches where Real Madrid played. In January, there was the Africa Cup of Nations, where he could have seen Ivory Coast or other potential opponents. He didn’t go.
‘At the Club World Cup, where matches were played in stadiums, you would have seen the conditions here. Martinez was here, Tuchel was there, Deschamps, who is in his mid-50s, was here for three weeks. Who isn’t here? Our coach.
‘That’s why I have no sympathy for him. I believe he and the team got what they deserved.’
Nagelsmann’s future was also highlighted in Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung with the newspaper concluding ‘this relationship is beyond saving’ with the expectation the 38-year-old leaves his position.
Attention immediately turned towards Jurgen Klopp as a possible successor to Nagelsmann, with the former Liverpool and Borussia Dortmund boss having been long-touted as a likely coach of the national team.
Klopp was pitchside for the match in his role for German broadcaster Magenta TV and pushed back when asked about the role.
‘I have a job that I really enjoy and as far as I know, it’s not a part-time job,’ Klopp said.
Jurgen Klopp has been touted as a likely successor for Nagelsmann as Germany boss
Germany were beaten on penalties for the first time with Jonathan Tah sending his effort over
‘The fact is, Germany was eliminated today, and this is not the moment for me to think about Jurgen Klopp’s future.’
When pressed on becoming head coach, Klopp insisted: ‘I haven’t thought about that yet. I’ve often been in that situation myself as a coach, where a big dream has been shattered.
‘I understand that when people talk about the national coach, my name is mentioned. But it’s not the right moment to talk about it, especially not with me.’
Klopp, however, was in agreement with World Cup winner Mats Hummels that tough decisions are needed after a sustained run of failures at major tournaments.
Germany have made three consecutive early exits since winning the World Cup in 2014, with group stage eliminations in 2018 and 2022 before a last-32 exit this year.
The national team were also eliminated in the last-16 and quarter-finals of the past two European Championships, with their last semi-final coming back in 2016.
Hummels insisted that Germany stars needed to take their share of the blame after falling short at major tournaments under several coaches.
The former defender stated that there is a ‘need for consequences’ and expects several members of the squad to announce their international retirements or be axed by the next Germany manager.
‘We’ve had the home European Championship, the home Nations League, and this tournament. In retrospect, the home European Championship is still being talked up too much in terms of sporting performance,’ Hummels said.
World Cup winner Mats Hummels called for consquences for the national team and stated he expects several members of the squad to announce their retirement from international football
‘The other two tournaments were both disappointing. That’s why this needs to be addressed. Both by the national coach himself and by the federation.
On the players’ side, I can certainly imagine that some will retire of their own accord.
‘One might also have to address decisions concerning players who are perhaps only in their early 30s now, but have already missed the chance to play a good tournament or achieve good results for Germany in four, five, six tournaments.
‘Because for me it’s no coincidence that Germany hasn’t had a single strong tournament since Euro 2016.
“It starts first and foremost with the players, because we’ve had several different coaches in between. And I expect some of them to say themselves, “I’m not continuing.”
‘But I also expect the current, or potentially new, national coach to make some tough decisions.’
