Here’s a fun stat for you: The United States men’s national team has reached the knockout stage at the World Cup more times than Germany since 2014, and the USMNT didn’t even qualify for the tournament in 2018.
That’s the sad state that the German national team finds itself in right now.
For the second straight World Cup, the 2014 champions are out of the World Cup in the group stage. This time, the disappointment came despite Germany’s 4-2 win over Costa Rica in what ended up being a wild final day in Group E.
Germany went into the match needing a win and Spain victory over Japan (or a Germany win by two-plus goals and a Japan tie). What it got instead was a stunning Japan win over Spain that rendered the result against Costa Rica moot.
🇩🇪💔 pic.twitter.com/bsNmFfg63f
— FOX Soccer (@FOXSoccer) December 1, 2022
That Japan win came on the slightest of margins too.
How close were we to a very different ending in that group for Japan, Spain and Germany? Via @AP_Sports: pic.twitter.com/d33P4Ro77p
— Andrew Das (@AndrewDasNYT) December 1, 2022
There was a brief moment where Costa Rica and Japan both had leads, meaning that Germany and Spain would’ve been eliminated. But Germany responded to take the lead and save Spain’s World Cup hopes in the process.
The second straight early elimination at the World Cup will undoubtedly be seen as a massive failure in Germany, which has struggled to develop its next wave of world-class talent since that 2014 championship.
And as you can expect, fans weren’t exactly kind to Germany about this latest embarrassment on the world stage. Many also enjoyed those couple minutes that had Spain and Germany on the brink.
This was how Twitter reacted
Let's laugh at Germany 😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂 pic.twitter.com/dFf1t3cr92
— Troll Football (@Troll_Fotballl) December 1, 2022
the world during those 3 minutes where both spain and germany were out pic.twitter.com/deMPPFbZ21
— V (@mvrctz) December 1, 2022
Streets will never forget the 30 seconds where Costa Rica & Japan were knocking both Spain and Germany out.
— Dubois (@CFCDUBois) December 1, 2022
Spain after intentionally losing to Japan to ensure Germany get knocked out pic.twitter.com/O2Rq0op6Cz
— Fledgling (@FPLFledgling) December 1, 2022
that 75 seconds where spain and germany were both out
— Joe (@Fauxmino) December 1, 2022
Spain when asked to save Germany pic.twitter.com/LFg5uzZPfK
— BH (@MCFC__BH) December 1, 2022
Now you know how it feels, Germany. pic.twitter.com/spJdWKb9Em
— No Context Brits (@NoContextBrits) December 1, 2022
Japan when they got drawn into Spain and Germany’s group: pic.twitter.com/KE2vMEhhyw
— Footy Accumulators (@FootyAccums) December 1, 2022
LETS ALL LAUGH AT GERMANY
I’ll start: 😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂
— george (@StokeyyG2) December 1, 2022
It’s going to be a long trip back for those players.
