The latest World Cup demolition derby of emotional turmoil ended with Japanese euphoria, Spanish relief, Costa Rican amazement at what might have been and a German soccer nation limping painfully into introspective despair.
The investigation, for the third time in four and a half years, began immediately. German public broadcaster ARD brutally interrogated a few minutes after the final whistle. Moments later, team principal Oliver Bierhoff received the same treatment. What went wrong? What would you do different? Are the players good enough? Are you the right man for the job?
The pain is more bitter because of the hopes that the battle with Spain arouses.
Costa Rica-Germany roller coaster ride
For neutrals, the entertainment was incomparable. Elite athletes, pushed to the limit on the highest stage, in the most tense circumstances: how do elite athletes psychologically respond to simultaneous events in another stadium? Changes that alter live risk-reward calculations in your own game? Ask Spain. They were trailing after 50 minutes, but they were still making progress; being eliminated twenty minutes later with the same score; and qualifying again moments later, his own game still unchanged.
And the game was peppered with the irrational justice of the first will be the last that only football provides. When Costa Rica beat Germany 2-1 in 70 minutes, they were ready to progress at the expense of Spain, the team that defeated them 7-0 in their opener. For the measure of the whole group, swallow the fact that in the history of World Cup statistics, only two teams have ever lost by attempting more than 700 passes in a game: Japan vs Germany a few days ago; and Japan vs Spain tonight.
Then there was the controversial winner from Japan – apparently the full “ball curl” didn’t cross the line. But this will hardly be a footnote for Germany.
performance culture
A few days ago, Germany fought against a very talented team from Spain to a well deserved draw. Today they scored four goals and won. They dictated the pace against every opponent in the group. Jamal Musiala hit the post twice and Germany could have scored multiple times. Is it really that bad?
Bastian Schweinsteiger and Sami Khedira, 2014 World Cup winners, weren’t shy about suggestions in the immediate post-game commentary. Elite mentality and elite football skill are simply missing. Schweinsteiger named Toni Rudiger Germany’s only truly top-level defender after highlighting David Raum’s mistake in the run-up to Costa Rica’s equalizer.
At the end of a dominating first half in which Costa Rica seemed to be in damage limitation mode, the comic defense of first Raum, then Rudiger and then Niklas Süle nearly turned the tide. Germany did not heed the warning. Costa Rica found their batteries, Joel Campbell’s holdup play made him look like Didier Drogba, and suddenly they had purpose and intent on the counterattack. The match exploded and Germany could not control itself.
The post-match discussion went further by identifying the crux of Germany’s failure. Despite the possession statistics, and despite the Champions League experience and footballing quality of the team’s Bayern stars, the national team lacked a true leader to control play at key moments.
Germany should have buried the Japan and Costa Rica games before halftime. But they let their opponents in, lost control of their own form and focus play at the turning points of games, and lacked the mental dexterity to bounce back.
Who will be Germany’s leader on the pitch when they host the Euro Cup in two years’ time? Manuel Neuer, Thomas Müller and İlkay Gündoğan will surely go ahead. Can Joshua Kimmich and Leon Goretzka, often willingly outspoken, control a world-class soccer game? Will Jamal Musiala, the only bright spark from the tournament in Germany, be able to put the finishing touches on burying the teams he single-handedly provoked in Qatar? And the great hole in the team, the center forward?
Searching for a deeper meaning
After Flick was questioned about his use of Müller in front of Niclas Füllkrug, Bierhoff had to answer deeper structural questions: Why doesn’t Germany have a world-class center forward? Are they failing to develop players? Is this a generational problem? Interestingly, it was said that not all players agreed with the One Love protest before the Japan game. Did this negate his mental composure?
Germany “should” have done more. But maybe all the soul-searching will have to conclude that sometimes that’s just football. This World Cup has been wonderfully full of surprises. While some of world soccer’s established powers have stumbled but then stood up, others have barely made an appearance. Perhaps this tournament represents a shift in the global balance of power?
When Morocco topped a group that included last World Cup runners-up Croatia and third-placed Belgium, whose golden generation may take on Germany at the airport, it was another sign of Qatar’s level playing field. While none of Africa’s five representatives at Russia 2018 made it past the group stage, Morocco and Senegal have already passed this year, Ghana are in an excellent position to progress and Tunisia were unfortunate to fail to beat the reigning champions, France.
Japan’s progression at Germany’s expense can be devastating in Berlin, but for a more competitive and entertaining global game, it was gold.
Photo credit: IMAGO / Moritz Müller
World Cup 2022 Guide
Here are some resources to help you make the most of the biggest event in soccer!
