"We didn't expect the result of the game on the Spanish side, but we have to blame only ourselves [out of the game]." Havertz, who came off the bench, became the first person to take the Player of the Year trophy expressionlessly since the start of the World Cup in Qatar. He helped Germany beat Costa Rica 4-2 to win the only group stage, but the "Germanic Chariots" were beaten in the group stage for two consecutive World Cups after losing to Spain, Japan, due to goal difference.
Lost
The last three competitions have performed poorly
Qatar did not perform well in the first two rounds of the World Cup, and Germany must play the final round against Costa Rica. The "Group of Death" lives up to its name, with Spain holding four points, Japan and Costa Rica three each, and Germany only one point, anyone can qualify, anyone can be out.
Winning and gaining more goal difference is Germany's goal. Gnabry's 10th-minute goal looked like a good start, but the German, who had played without a striker for years, quickly fell into passivity, and Costa Rica scored two goals in the second half to make it 2-1. Germany were credited by substitutes Havertz and Phil Kruger, who scored in the 73rd and 85th minutes, and Phil Kruger sealed the score 4-2 in the 89th minute.
However, the German team, which managed to turn the table, did not expect Spain to be upset 1-2 by Japan, and despite the same 4 points, Germany was "dissuaded" by Spain's goal difference advantage.
Germany's poor experience has increased to three editions: in the 2018 World Cup group stage, Germany lost 0-1 to Mexico, 2-1 to Sweden, 0-2 to South Korea, and finished bottom of the group; At last year's European Championship, Germany was sent home 2-0 by England in the 1/8 final; In the 2022 World Cup, they handed over a 1-2 defeat to Japan, a 1-1 draw with Spain, and a 4-2 victory over Costa Rica, but still failed to win the qualifying place.
Bierhoff, who has been the German team manager for 18 years, was confronted with the question of whether he would resign: "I'm not thinking about resignation right now. Although I feel very good about myself, I have not done well in 3 consecutive competitions and I have nothing to argue with and must be questioned. ”
Kai Havertz (left) scored two goals in a row to save Germany.
offensive
Neglecting to develop a traditional center
After last year's Euros exit, the German team underwent a change of coach, and Loew, who had been at the helm for 15 years, left. Despite his glorious record as runner-up at Euro 2008, third place in the 2010 World Cup and winner in the 2014 World Cup, the Germanic chariot gradually veered away from course during the Loew era.
Three centre-backs, pass control and no strikers are the tactical systems that Loew adheres to, but after missing the knockout stages of the World Cup in 2018 and the 6-0 defeat to Spain in the 2020 UEFA Nations League, Loew's tactics were questioned by almost the entire German football scene. After Frick succeeded Löw as national team manager, he was expected to make adjustments that were characteristic of German football, but Frick still excluded the center forward from the starting line-up, even when facing Spain, it was the big center Phil Kruger who scored a goal to complete the "life" - the No. 9 that the coaching staff reluctantly took in the last minute.
The former simple and efficient German team, which had a clear advantage in aerial bombing, is moving away. With the exception of Phil Kruger, Germany can hardly find a traditional centre-forward. The youth training system in the past 10 years has also changed the training model with the national team's play, which worries German legend Klose a little: "We have somewhat neglected the way of developing the traditional type of centre-forward, everyone wants the striker to have strong skills and be good at working well outside the box... Our steps are too big and we need to recycle. ”
World Cup current goalscorer King (10 goals), German veteran Mueller scored nothing in Qatar. Photo: Xinhua News Agency
defend
"Only one high-level defender"
On the night of the group out, German coach Frick said the team's problems came on the other hand: "We have been looking for a number 9 centre and a strong full-back for many years, but defense is the hallmark of German football and the focus we need to face. ”
Yes, apart from abandoning traditional strengths in attack, Germany's defense is also difficult to say in this World Cup. German football legends have been sharply criticized, with Mateus saying that the team is too easy to score points: "If you make a mistake like that, there's no need to be surprised." He was very disappointed to point out that the weakest positions in the German team at the moment, "full-back, centre-back and, of course, centre-forward." Schweinsteiger is even more pessimistic: "We only have a high-level defender at Rudiger, everyone else is at the level of the Bundesliga. ”
In this World Cup, Germany scored 5 goals in the group stage. Photo: Xinhua News Agency
This morning, Mueller bitterly ended the last World Cup in Qatar, and the 33-year-old "Erwa" was spent in the high position. The 36-year-old has repeatedly made up for mistakes in the defence by denying that he will retire from the national team, but it seems that one cannot see the German goalkeeper's excellent successor.
The road to the re-emergence of German football is still shrouded in fog, and the next four years are too far away to know whether the "Germanic chariot" will return at the 2024 European Championship in Germany.
Beijing News reporter Zhou Xiao
Edited by Wang Chunqiu
Proofreader Zhao Lin