After 11 minutes of its final night, after all the twists and turns of its first two rounds of fixtures, Group E at this World Cup appeared to be drifting towards what, right at the start, looked the most likely conclusion.
Serge Gnabry had headed Germany in front against Costa Rica and Alvaro Morata had given Spain the lead over the Japanese, to have both European powerhouses headed for the last 16.
Little more than an hour-and-half later, Japan sat atop the lot, after one of the most illogical sequences of group-stage results in World Cup history.
Spain and Costa Rica spent much of the second half doing the hokey-cokey, in, out, in, out, before the former were saved, weirdly, by Kai Havertz. And above, or rather, below all was the drama of Germany’s exit, for a second time in a row at the group stage, having previously reached at least the last eight of every World Cup since 1954.
Hansi Flick’s side had beaten Costa Rica 4-2 but it was not enough, Japan’s latest stunning fightback leaving the Germans reliant on a Spanish equaliser that never came.
“Ultimately, the sum of everything contributed to us being eliminated,” said Flick, referring to the opening defeat by Japan and subsequent draw against Spain that left his side needing favours on the final day.
Thomas Muller declared the outcome an “absolute catastrophe”, the German press “Die Katarstrophe”, in punning reference to the hosts. Tabloid paper Bild did not hold back, blasting the latest “embarrassment” and “disgrace”. Others referred to a “football dwarf”, while the Associated Press report called Germany a “former soccer power”.
Flick is determined to stay in charge, with a home Euros in 2024 looming. Whether the German FA agree remains to be seen: predecessor Joachim Low survived 2018, but had a World Cup winners’ medal in the bank from four years earlier.
The triumph in Brazil now seems an awfully long time ago for a nation once billed ‘the’ tournament team, but did not make it past the Euros last-16 last summer, either.
Joshua Kimmich, a strong-cheek-boned figure of German poise and assuredness, fretted whether he might be cursed, having walked into a world champion side and seen little but decline since. There are more concrete failings, though, in a squad blessed with midfield talent but a revolving cast in defence and an empty dressing room up front.
“We haven’t been able to live up to expectations at the tournaments in recent years because, as a team, we don’t really have specialists running around everywhere,” said Muller, famously a man whose position is impossible to pin down.
The 33-year-old, who hinted this may be the end of his international career, had scored 10 World Cup goals by the end of 2014, but has not added to the tally since.
Jamal Musiala, the former Chelsea academy prospect, has been Germany’s star player at this tournament, but also summed up their failings, oozing class with his space-defying dribbles, but repeatedly failing to find the net.
“It’s unfortunate Jamal cannot play any more in the tournament,” said Flick, who called for a root-and-branch review of the country’s talent production.
“Jamal has been trained in England, not Germany,” he added. How the tables have turned.
