This article is from the source 'guardian' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at https://www.theguardian.com/football/2018/jun/18/germanys-papers-react-to-world-cup-defeat-to-mexico
The article has changed 4 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
| Version 0 | Version 1 |
|---|---|
| 'Wake up!' – Germany's papers react to World Cup defeat by Mexico | 'Wake up!' – Germany's papers react to World Cup defeat by Mexico |
| (5 months later) | |
| Even before Sunday’s sobering start for the titleholders, the World Cup had kicked off on a somewhat unenthusiastic note, the usual euphoria dampened by a debate about national identity and belonging, triggered by midfielders Mesut Özil and İlkay Gündoğan’s decision to pose for a photograph with Turkey’s strongman president. | Even before Sunday’s sobering start for the titleholders, the World Cup had kicked off on a somewhat unenthusiastic note, the usual euphoria dampened by a debate about national identity and belonging, triggered by midfielders Mesut Özil and İlkay Gündoğan’s decision to pose for a photograph with Turkey’s strongman president. |
| But if few have dared predict that Germany could become the first world champions to defend their title since Brazil in 1962, expectations were set for nothing but a routine win in the opening game. “Sorry Mexico, today WE build a wall”, ran Welt am Sonntag’s headline on Sunday, and Bild had offered “Nine reasons for a 3-0 against Mexico”. | But if few have dared predict that Germany could become the first world champions to defend their title since Brazil in 1962, expectations were set for nothing but a routine win in the opening game. “Sorry Mexico, today WE build a wall”, ran Welt am Sonntag’s headline on Sunday, and Bild had offered “Nine reasons for a 3-0 against Mexico”. |
| Even the head coach, Joachim “Jogi” Löw, had apparently already focused on the knockout phase, with the Dortmund winger Marco Reus blabbing in a post-match interview that he had been rested in the opener “because we expect the tournament to go on for a long time”. | Even the head coach, Joachim “Jogi” Löw, had apparently already focused on the knockout phase, with the Dortmund winger Marco Reus blabbing in a post-match interview that he had been rested in the opener “because we expect the tournament to go on for a long time”. |
| Monday’s headlines speak of mental discombobulation: “Nightmare at kick-off” (Berliner Zeitung), “Fiasco instead of fiesta: Die Mannschaft has lost its World Cup shine” (Morgenpost), “Wake up!” (Die Welt). | Monday’s headlines speak of mental discombobulation: “Nightmare at kick-off” (Berliner Zeitung), “Fiasco instead of fiesta: Die Mannschaft has lost its World Cup shine” (Morgenpost), “Wake up!” (Die Welt). |
| “In the past months there has been a lot of talk about boycotting the World Cup for political reasons”, wrote commentator Matthias Brügelmann in tabloid Bild. “But I did not expect that Jogi’s boys would turn that into practice on the pitch in their opener, of all matches.” | “In the past months there has been a lot of talk about boycotting the World Cup for political reasons”, wrote commentator Matthias Brügelmann in tabloid Bild. “But I did not expect that Jogi’s boys would turn that into practice on the pitch in their opener, of all matches.” |
| The broadsheet Süddeutsche Zeitung takes a more sociological approach, glimpsing in Germany’s performance a reflection of the country’s changing demographic. “If sociologists are right, then Germany faces a problem with an ageing society”, writes reporter Philipp Selldorf. “On Sunday evening in Moscow it looked like the sociologists could be proven right earlier than they themselves predicted.” | The broadsheet Süddeutsche Zeitung takes a more sociological approach, glimpsing in Germany’s performance a reflection of the country’s changing demographic. “If sociologists are right, then Germany faces a problem with an ageing society”, writes reporter Philipp Selldorf. “On Sunday evening in Moscow it looked like the sociologists could be proven right earlier than they themselves predicted.” |
| Germany looked “old and heavy and exhausted”, and once youthful players such as Mesut Özil, Thomas Müller and Sami Khedira moved their bodies “as if they had finished a very, very exhausting season only yesterday”. | Germany looked “old and heavy and exhausted”, and once youthful players such as Mesut Özil, Thomas Müller and Sami Khedira moved their bodies “as if they had finished a very, very exhausting season only yesterday”. |
| Watching Germany’s first 11 slowly traipse off the pitch at half-time, Selldorf even wonders “if the stadium was witnessing the end of an era”. | Watching Germany’s first 11 slowly traipse off the pitch at half-time, Selldorf even wonders “if the stadium was witnessing the end of an era”. |
| Talking of end of eras, commentators for Der Spiegel cannot help but draw parallels between Germany’s disjointed performance and Angela Merkel’s struggle to keep together a fraying coalition government. | Talking of end of eras, commentators for Der Spiegel cannot help but draw parallels between Germany’s disjointed performance and Angela Merkel’s struggle to keep together a fraying coalition government. |
| In a feature published at the weekend, the magazine notes that Löw and Merkel were put in charge of organisations in the middle of a crisis: the chancellor’s Christian Democratic Union had been hit by a donations scandal, while the German FA was struggling to keep up with talent factories in France and the Netherlands. | In a feature published at the weekend, the magazine notes that Löw and Merkel were put in charge of organisations in the middle of a crisis: the chancellor’s Christian Democratic Union had been hit by a donations scandal, while the German FA was struggling to keep up with talent factories in France and the Netherlands. |
| During their tenure, Spiegel notes, Löw and Merkel have proved apt managers while also profiting from the reformist zeal of their predecessors and a general surplus of wealth and talent. “They don’t make big mistakes, but they also don’t risk a lot”, wrote journalist Markus Feldenkirchen. | During their tenure, Spiegel notes, Löw and Merkel have proved apt managers while also profiting from the reformist zeal of their predecessors and a general surplus of wealth and talent. “They don’t make big mistakes, but they also don’t risk a lot”, wrote journalist Markus Feldenkirchen. |
| Speaking in a press conference after the Mexico match, Löw appeared willing to invite further comparison, his words “wir werden das schaffen” (we will manage) echoing Merkel’s much-quoted remarks at the height of the 2015 refugee crisis: “wir schaffen das”. | Speaking in a press conference after the Mexico match, Löw appeared willing to invite further comparison, his words “wir werden das schaffen” (we will manage) echoing Merkel’s much-quoted remarks at the height of the 2015 refugee crisis: “wir schaffen das”. |
| “Considering the team’s performance against Mexico,” noted Spiegel wryly on Monday, “there are reasons to doubt that.” | “Considering the team’s performance against Mexico,” noted Spiegel wryly on Monday, “there are reasons to doubt that.” |
| Germany | Germany |
| Europe | Europe |
| Turkey | Turkey |
| news | news |
| Share on Facebook | Share on Facebook |
| Share on Twitter | Share on Twitter |
| Share via Email | Share via Email |
| Share on LinkedIn | Share on LinkedIn |
| Share on Pinterest | Share on Pinterest |
| Share on Google+ | Share on Google+ |
| Share on WhatsApp | Share on WhatsApp |
| Share on Messenger | Share on Messenger |
| Reuse this content | Reuse this content |