Former international Thomas Hitzlsperger believes Germany “forgot to fight” off the ball in their shock defeat to Paraguay at the World Cup 2026.
Competing in their first knockout match since winning the World Cup in 2014, Germany were taken to a shootout but only after controversially being denied a goal in extra-time as Jonathan Tah’s header was ruled out following a VAR review.
Germany had never lost a World Cup shootout before – four from four – but that all changed in Boston as Paraguay emerged 4-3 winners after immense drama at the end of the shootout.
Hitzlsperger, who earned 52 caps for his country between 2004 and 2010, believes that too many of the team simply pass without purpose – and insists Julian Nagelsmann did “not have a plan B.”
“You start analysing what has to change… individually there are good players,” he told the BBC. “But fundamentally, there’s something missing. The way they approach games.
“We’re not going to be like France going forward, but the mentality of Argentina, I’ve watched them many times, at least having that spirit, you thought Germany in a tournament could be favourites… I thought no, I’ve watched them enough.
“Today we saw that. We need that grit and desire to be hard to beat, add some elements. For too long in Germany, we try to educate players to pass the ball really well, it worked really well in 2014. We got that World Cup.
“After that, we kept on passing the ball nicely, but we forgot to fight very hard against the ball, we only have one way, and it doesn’t work anymore.”
Since their fourth World Cup triumph in 2014, Germany have not won a knockout match, with their best showing in a tournament being their run to the semi-finals of Euro 2016.
“I wouldn’t blame Pep [Guardiola] in this case,” Hitzlsperger added, regarding Germany’s passing mentality. “He has so many admirers in German football, one of them is Julian Nagelsmann, but unless you are as good as Pep, you have to add different elements. We haven’t done.
“We focus on passing, passing, looks nice at times, if that way doesn’t work, you have to have a plan B, we don’t seem to be good enough using a plan B or C.
“It’s very unfortunate and sad – the next few days will be intense and tough.”
Paraguay, meanwhile, progress to face France or Sweden in the last-16 on Saturday. It is some turnaround for the South American side, who were thrashed 4-1 by the USA in their opening group game before progressing to the knockouts as a best-placed third-place team.
