Second Wednesday of our series "10 reasons why" This time I'm glad to bring to you 10 reasons why the Germany squad are in deep crisis after the World Cup Fiasco.
1.- A title that hides the crisis
Until 2002, when France succumbed unable to overcome the injury of Zinedine Zidane, only twice more the world champion had not passed the first phase; Italy in 1950 (when 12 years had passed since the conquest of his title) and Brazil in 1966 (when he could not take on Pele's injury either).
Now, there are already three consecutive editions in which the champion is unable to qualify for eighths. It can not be a coincidence.
Joseph Blatter claimed that FIFA forced the champion to go through the qualifying phase to prevent him from playing friendly for two years. And, however, it has not been the solution. The reason for so much disaster seems to have a psychological component; the glare of the title hides all the problems.
2.- The mirror of Spain
"Congratulations you are the best team I've ever seen play." The kind congratulations of Joachim Löw to Vicente del Bosque as soon as the semifinal of South Africa 2010 was over, hid a whole declaration of intentions. Inspired by the Spanish game, Löw changed the German model and took it to the conquest of the title.
Then, also inspired by the Spanish disaster, he went to the Confederations Cup with a team of promises. "I do not want to happen to me like Spain in Brazil, you have to regenerate the team." But when the moment of truth came, like Del Bosque, he trusted the old guard.
3.- A strange call
How is it possible that the Best Junior in the Premier League does not fit into a 23-man squad? The question everyone asked after Löw announced the call was left unanswered. And Germany did not have the freshness in the attack that gives Leroy Sané to Manchester City of Guardiola.
Although with less controversy, Germany also attended with nostalgia to the absence of Mario Götze, the "hero" of the Maracana, the author of the goal in the extra time that gave him the World title. Götze did not find in his selection the same consideration that Iniesta has in Spain.
4.- Manuel Neuer
Löw had no doubts about who would be the starter in the goal. Neither the 8 months he was without playing, nor the extraordinary season of Ter Stegen with Barcelona were enough reasons for him to change his mind.
With that, he sent a bad message. No meritocracy, in the goal would always be Löw's favourite... and Angela Merkel.
Neuer did not even go near the goalkeeper who dazzled in 2014 and said goodbye to Russia in the worst possible way; an error of his gave Korea the chance to score the second goal.
5.- The political mess of Özil and Gündogan
Germany arrived in Russia involved in controversy. A photo of Özil and Gündogan with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan caused the networks to burn and some, such as the ex-international Stefan Effenberg, asked for the departure of the team of two players, born in Germany but with Turkish progenitors. In a country where the Turkish community is the majority, where the opposition to the Ottoman president also has a good speaker, the attitude of the two internationals did not seem the most prudent.
6.- Too much for Kroos
After a strenuous and irregular season, Kroos had to direct the whole German game and was overcome. It was the Mannschaft player who shot the most and who rescued him from the last-minute elimination against Sweden, but he also made improper mistakes, which cost goals against Sweden and Korea itself.
7.- Thomas Müller lost the magic
There was no magic on this occasion Thomas Müller, the player who most profited his appearances in the World Cups. Müller came to Russia ready to become the first player who scored five goals in three consecutive World Cups and left empty. With only three shots on target throughout the tournament.
8.- A squad without a goal
Two goals in the entire World Cup. No German team has finished a World Cup with such a low number (the previous one was the three goals of Mexico'86). And that he tried; Germany was the team that shot the most on goal (67 times), but did not have the opportune auctioneer. Neither Müller, nor the veteran Mario Gómez, nor the young Timo Werner, the bet of Löw, who squandered the 288'26 minutes that he had.
9.- "Presumptuous team"
This is how Lottar Mathäus described it. Germany considered an accident the defeat against Mexico, lived with elation the assisted breathing that gave Kroos with a goal in the minute 95 against Sweden and never thought that Korea, already eliminated, would be able to win in the last game. He believed that with his quality and the history on his side would be enough.
10.- End of cycle
The German press wondered today if it is not attending a cycle end with players like Özil, Müller or Khedira. To this, the numerous petitions are added so that it leaves the position Löw, in spite of which it has a contract until 2022.
The project that Klinsmann and Löw undertook in 2004 and which he then continued alone, to lead Germany in 17 World Cup matches, seems exhausted.
What do you think? Do you believe the Germany cycle is over?
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