From Boston,

A sense of déjà vu hung heavy in the air, reminiscent of 1998. The familiar sun, the legendary names (Enciso, Paredes, Arce, Sanabria), the iconic red and white striped jerseys, and that impenetrable defensive wall that Germany relentlessly attacked without finding a single crack. However, this Germany is not that France. Facing Paraguay in Boston on Monday, the Mannschaft couldn’t conjure a Laurent Blanc-esque moment in extra time. To everyone’s astonishment, they crashed out of the World Cup in the Round of 16, losing a dramatic penalty shootout (1-1, 4-3 p.s.), despite being considered strong contenders.

For the third consecutive tournament, following disappointing campaigns in 2018 and 2022 (when the field comprised 32 teams), Germany has failed to secure a spot among the top 16 nations. More significantly, they faltered in what was once their undisputed strength: the penalty shootout, a stage where they had historically never been defeated in a World Cup. The expressions of German journalists in the press box spoke volumes about the magnitude of this disaster, making me wish I had chosen German as a second language to better understand their colorful expletives.

“we didn’t succeed,” laments Kimmich

“This is one of the worst days for German football,” one of them vaguely admitted in English in the mixed zone, quickly retreating as Paraguayan colleagues, adorned in Albirroja jerseys and flags, paraded past with triumphant smiles. Meanwhile, Joshua Kimmich, jaw clenched, appeared before the media to attempt to explain the inexplicable.

« “It’s terrible,” the German captain confessed (translated from German). “As a child, I watched our national team consistently reach World Cup semi-finals and finals. There were always great successes that inspired me. And that’s the joy we want to give to children and people back home. We didn’t succeed.” »

The Bayern Munich midfielder epitomized everything that went wrong for the Mannschaft on Monday. Usually a central midfielder for his club, Kimmich was deployed in a hybrid role – not quite a central defender, not truly a right-back, nor a defensive midfielder. This tactical ambiguity completely destabilized the team, particularly the right flank, where Leroy Sané, performing at a concerning level, received no support when cornered by opponents.

Incomprehensible choices?

Against Paraguay’s tightly organized defensive block, the Germans completely misfired. They created no real opportunities in the first half, managed a header goal from Havertz after the break, and resorted to a few long balls and crosses into the box – and that was it. Orlando Gill, the South American goalkeeper, was barely tested. Even Julian Nagelsmann’s substitutions failed to alter the course of the match.

The German coach, once hailed as a young prodigy at the start of his Bundesliga career with Hoffenheim in 2016, is now facing a barrage of criticism across Germany. This is not only for the improbable outcome of the match, but also for his puzzling tactical decisions, such as bringing on Goretzka at halftime or Woltemade late in the game, and especially for some of the players he chose to bring to the United States, including Jonathan Tah, Leroy Sané, and even Manuel Neuer.

After initially retiring from international duty, the Bayern Munich goalkeeper reversed his decision in recent weeks, and Nagelsmann opted to include him in the squad. This was despite Neuer being 40 years old, having a challenging season with the Bavarian club, and the convincing performances of Oliver Baumann, who had been guarding the German net. “Neuer was also part of the failures in 2018 and 2022, having been selected at the last minute,” a journalist named Frank Hellman told me before the match. “It’s a big mistake to have picked him.”

« “And that’s something that unsettled the squad,” Hellman asserted. “While the Bayern players supported his return to the national team, many others were far less enthusiastic. Manuel Neuer wasn’t even among the top six goalkeepers in the Bundesliga this season. We won’t go far in the World Cup with him.” »

Is Julian Nagelsmann’s position threatened?

Frank Hellman proved to be prescient, even though Manuel Neuer delivered a respectable performance, making two fine saves and notably stopping Paraguay’s fifth penalty to reignite the suspense. It was all in vain. Beyond Neuer, Sané, or Tah, it is Nagelsmann’s own leadership that is beginning to draw ire. After the humiliation in Boston, the coach was naturally questioned about his future. Move along, there’s (almost) nothing to see:

« “I’m not one to run away. This isn’t the first time we’ve experienced this kind of tournament. There are things that need to be changed one way or another, but now is not the time to discuss them. If the Federation wants me to continue, I will continue. And if they don’t, they can tell me. I know how football works. There are probably many people who would prefer that I don’t continue.” »

However, Nagelsmann, who had a heated exchange with a German journalist after the match, did receive support from his captain, whom he also coached at Munich: “I think Germans need something to be proud of right now. Unfortunately, it’s not the national team. We, the players on the field, made mistakes and we take responsibility for them. It wasn’t the coach, it wasn’t the media, it wasn’t the referee, it wasn’t the opponent. It was us.” In any case, France (or Sweden, let’s not get ahead of ourselves) is certainly enjoying the spectacle.