The echoes of 1998 seemed to reverberate in Boston this past Monday. The familiar sun, the names like Enciso, Paredes, Arce, and Sanabria, the iconic red and white striped jerseys, and that impenetrable defensive wall that Germany battered without success. Yet, this was not France, and the German national team, the Mannschaft, failed to find their Laurent Blanc during extra time against Paraguay. To widespread astonishment, they were eliminated in the Round of 16 following a dramatic penalty shootout (1-1, 4-3 on penalties), despite entering the tournament as a formidable contender.

For the third World Cup in a row, following their exits in 2018 and 2022 (when the tournament featured only 32 teams), Germany has fallen short of reaching the quarterfinals. More significantly, they succumbed in what was historically their greatest strength: the penalty shootout, a stage where they had previously maintained an flawless World Cup record. The sheer devastation among German journalists in the press box was palpable, leading many to wish they had a stronger grasp of German to fully comprehend the expletives being uttered.

"we failed," laments kimmich

“This is truly one of the darkest days for German football,” one journalist, visibly shaken, vaguely conveyed in English within the mixed zone before quickly retreating. Meanwhile, jubilant Paraguayan counterparts, adorned in Albirroja jerseys and waving flags, celebrated their team’s unexpected victory. Amidst this scene, Joshua Kimmich, his jaw clenched, stepped forward to face the media, attempting to articulate the inexplicable.

« “It’s terrible,” the German captain admitted. “As a child, I watched our national team consistently reach World Cup semi-finals and finals. Those great successes were my inspiration. We want to bring that joy to children and to everyone back home. We failed to do that.” »

The Bayern Munich midfielder’s performance epitomized Germany’s struggles on Monday. Usually a central midfielder for his club, Kimmich was deployed in a perplexing hybrid role – neither a true central defender, a right-back, nor a defensive midfielder. This tactical ambiguity severely destabilized the team, particularly the right flank, where a visibly out-of-form Leroy Sané received virtually no support when cornered by opponents.

questionable tactical decisions

Against Paraguay’s tightly organized defensive block, the German offense was completely toothless. They created no significant chances in the first half, managed a header goal from Havertz after the break, and resorted to a few long balls and crosses into the box – and that was the extent of their attacking threat. Orlando Gill, Paraguay’s goalkeeper, was rarely tested. Even Julian Nagelsmann’s substitutions failed to alter the course of the match.

The German coach, once hailed as a young prodigy when he debuted with Hoffenheim in the Bundesliga in 2016, is now facing a barrage of criticism across Germany. The outrage stems not only from the improbable outcome of the match but also from his questionable player selections for the tournament in the United States, including Jonathan Tah, Leroy Sané, and even Manuel Neuer.

After initially retiring from international football, the Bayern Munich goalkeeper reversed his decision in recent weeks, and Nagelsmann controversially included him in the squad. This was despite Neuer being 40 years old, having a challenging season with Bayern, and with Oliver Baumann having performed convincingly in goal for Germany. “Neuer was also part of the failures in 2018 and 2022, having been selected at the last minute,” a German journalist, Frank Hellman, had told me before the match. “It’s a huge mistake to have brought him.”

« “And that created disruption within the squad,” he asserted. “While the Bayern players supported his return to the national team, many others were far less enthusiastic. Manuel Neuer wasn’t even among the top six goalkeepers in the Bundesliga this season. We won’t go far in the World Cup with him.” »

is julian nagelsmann’s future at stake?

Frank Hellman’s foresight proved remarkably accurate. Although Manuel Neuer delivered a decent performance, making two crucial saves and, notably, stopping Paraguay’s fifth penalty to reignite hope, it was ultimately in vain. Beyond the debate surrounding Neuer, Sané, or Tah, it is Nagelsmann himself who is increasingly drawing the ire of fans and pundits. Following the humiliating defeat in Boston, the coach was naturally quizzed about his future. His response, however, offered little clarity:

« “I’m not one to run away. This isn’t the first time we’ve experienced this kind of tournament outcome. There are things that need to change one way or another, but now is not the time to discuss them. If the Federation wants me to continue, I will. And if they don’t, they can tell me. I understand how football works. Many people probably wish I wouldn’t continue.” »

Despite a heated exchange with a German journalist after the match, Nagelsmann did receive support from his captain, Joshua Kimmich, who he also coached at Bayern Munich: “I believe Germans need something to be proud of right now. Unfortunately, it’s not the national team. We, the players on the field, made mistakes, and we take responsibility for them. It wasn’t the coach, it wasn’t the media, it wasn’t the referee, it wasn’t the opponent. It was us.” Meanwhile, France (or perhaps Sweden, let’s not get ahead of ourselves) must be relishing Germany’s early exit.