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Germany have booked their place in the World Cup round of 32 as group winners, but all is not well. Julian Nagelsmann’s team were already assured of top spot before taking on Ecuador, but a 2-1 defeat exposed weaknesses in their squad, which the German media laid bare.
Nagelsmann’s side had made their case to be considered among the tournament favourites when they began with a merciless 7-1 demolition of Curacao. They weren’t at their best in a 2-1 win over Cote d’Ivoire, though, while Leroy Sane’s early goal on Thursday counted for nothing after Nilson Angulo and Gonzalo Plata turned the game on its head.
There were controversial moments, with Ecuador arguing Sane’s goal should have stood and Germany contesting the VAR call which saw them robbed of a second-half penalty at 1-1. In the media, though, players were shown little mercy.
The 2014 champions were warned that, after back-to-back group stage exits in 2018 and 2022, more disappointment would be on the way if they don’t get their act together. Here, we’ve taken a look at some of the reaction.
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Sky Sport Deutchland credited an Ecuador side who gave their all in pursuit of the win they needed to progress. It was a different story with Germany, though, with individual players singled out for criticism.
“The German team, on the other hand, was largely invisible for long stretches,” they wrote. “Despite a lightning start thanks to Leroy Sané, they subsequently lacked ideas, penetration, and above all, physical presence.
“Florian Wirtz and Jamal Musiala once again fell far short of their potential and were barely able to make their mark on the game. Manuel Neuer also looked shaky on both goals conceded, especially the decisive second one. This defeat must be a timely wake-up call.”
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View 2 ImagesFlorian Wirtz was one of those singled out for criticism(Image: Harry Langer/DeFodi Images/Shutterstock)
“This performance is worrying!” Bild wrote. “Because they had already secured first place in the group and qualification for the round of 32 before kickoff, the loss has no sporting consequences. However, Julian Nagelsmann’s (38) team delivered a shaky, at times unfocused performance – at this rate, we’ll be out soon!”
Indeed, they even argued the goal Germany did score should not have been allowed to stand. A high boot from Aleksandar Pavlovic wasn’t punished and Sane had the ball in the net moments later.
“The goal shouldn’t have counted,” Bild added. The publication quoted referee expert Manuel Grafe, who said: “A clear foul. This decision is a joke and cannot stand.”
Similarly, Allgemeine Zeitung argued something needs to change. Perhaps most worryingly, there was a suggestion the second half against Ecuador exposed a worrying lack of depth.
“The German team’s performance was particularly weak in the second half,” they wrote. “Admittedly, Nagelsmann gave players like [Angelo] Stiller, [Maximilian] Beier, and [Malick] Thiaw a chance to prove themselves. But this experiment failed.
“Germany’s play is still too error-prone overall. Far too many turnovers in midfield allowed even minnows Curacao to look promising at times. The DFB team has lacked clarity in its actions far too often. But it will need precisely this clarity in the do-or-die matches, starting on Monday in the round of 32.”
It was an all-too-familiar story over at Kicker. Germany had been in fine form in the lead-up to the tournament but there’s a worry the latest defeat will be followed by yet another and an early exit.
“The 1-2 defeat against Ecuador, following eleven consecutive victories, highlighted the national team’s vulnerability,” they wrote. “Especially against robust opponents, they lack players who can stand up to them. And they won’t be found at this World Cup.”
Nagelsmann and his players now have time to regroup before returning to action on Monday night. Their opponents will be a third-placed finisher, most likely Paraguay after the South American side rounded out their own group stage campaign with a goalless draw against Australia.
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