Germany no longer first class team after World Cup exit –Nagelsmann
Germany coach Julian Nagelsmann has revealed that the team is no longer a “first-class team” following the disappointing defeat to Paraguay to crash out of the 2026 World Cup.
The 2014 champions suffered a 4-3 penalty shootout defeat to Paraguay after the regulation time and extra time ended 1-1 on Monday.
After failing to get past the group stage in 2018 and 2022, Germany were playing in their first knockout game for 12 years.
They suffered another heartbreaking defeat after side, Kai Havertz, Nick Woltemade and Jonathan Tah all missed their efforts from the spot.
The Germans have failed to win a knockout games since lifting the trophy in 2014.
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Nagelsmann expressed his disappointment at the early exit while saying that they are no longer a first class team.
He said: “If you exit after the first stage, it’s not enough for German football. This is now the third elimination in a row so we are not part of the first class teams any more. I am disappointed.
Nagelsmann has been in charge of Germany since 2023 and has a contract until after the 2028 European Championships.
He has expressed his desire to stay on as the team’s coach despite the World Cup disappointment.
Nagelsmann said: “If the DFB [German FA] wants me, I am going to continue. I know a lot of people want me to leave, but I would love to continue if the DFB want me. I’ll give my arguments to my boss.
“If there was a survey today in Germany people aren’t going to talk about me positively, obviously. We have not done much during this tournament. I’m not someone who runs away.
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“I’d like to praise all the German fans who came to the stadium. I expected a totally different reaction from them but it was amazing and impressive the way they supported us, even after the defeat.”
Similarly, Germany captain Joshua Kimmich was disappointed with the team’s performance.
He said: “We didn’t play at our best against any opponent. Three times we had major problems against non-world-class teams. That’s a fact.
“We were completely deserving of our elimination. It feels terrible. It does not feel good.
“We, the players on the field, messed it up, and we take responsibility for that. It wasn’t the coach’s fault, it wasn’t the media’s fault, it wasn’t the referee’s fault, it wasn’t the opponent’s fault. It was entirely our fault.”
Paraguay will take on the winner between France and Sweden in the round of 16.
Germany suffered their first ever FIFA World Cup elimination via a penalty shootout, having won their previous four, while it’s only their second loss on penalties at a major tournament following the 1976 UEFA EURO final to Czechoslovakia (3-5).
