German press slams national team and Julian Nagelsmann after World Cup exit
The German media has heavily criticized the national team following their shock 1/16 final exit to Paraguay, labeling the performance an "absolute nightmare."
La déception des joueurs allemands après leur élimination. (S. Mantey/L'Équipe)
German media has reacted with fierce criticism following the national team's premature exit from the World Cup. In the 1/16 final clash against Paraguay, Germany crashed out after a 1-1 draw, eventually losing 3-4 on penalties. This marks the third consecutive time the team has failed to progress beyond the early stages of a World Cup tournament.
Bild led the coverage with the headline "A new nightmare for German football," describing the performance as "disastrous" and "an absolute non-match." Coach Julian Nagelsmann received the lowest possible rating from the publication, which criticized the side for being "slow, boring, and lethargic" throughout the encounter.
The Süddeutsche Zeitung characterized the result as "another humiliation." The paper noted that aside from a dominant win against Curaçao, the team failed to produce any convincing performances during the tournament, making their early departure a well-deserved reality.
The team's performance is a testament to the failure of German football, and for Nagelsmann himself. Germany is drifting further and further away from the summit of world football. Kicker
Kicker analysts noted that while the failure isn't solely on Nagelsmann, he has failed to harness and develop the squad's strengths. Meanwhile, the Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung has questioned whether the coach's tenure is coming to an end, poignantly noting that his time as manager may be finishing exactly where it began—on US soil.