'We Deserved it': German Fans Reckon with Early World Cup Exit

Germany leaves the field after the World Cup Group E soccer game between Costa Rica and Germany at the Al Bayt Stadium in Al Khor, Qatar, December 1, 2022. (AP Photo/Ariel Schalit)
Germany leaves the field after the World Cup Group E soccer game between Costa Rica and Germany at the Al Bayt Stadium in Al Khor, Qatar, December 1, 2022. (AP Photo/Ariel Schalit)
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'We Deserved it': German Fans Reckon with Early World Cup Exit

Germany leaves the field after the World Cup Group E soccer game between Costa Rica and Germany at the Al Bayt Stadium in Al Khor, Qatar, December 1, 2022. (AP Photo/Ariel Schalit)
Germany leaves the field after the World Cup Group E soccer game between Costa Rica and Germany at the Al Bayt Stadium in Al Khor, Qatar, December 1, 2022. (AP Photo/Ariel Schalit)

In a quickly-emptying east Berlin bar, Eric Warncke is "disappointed" by Germany's shock exit from the World Cup, but says he already suspected it might happen.

After a surprise 2-1 loss in the opening game to Japan, the team left themselves a hill to climb to make it through to the knockout round in Qatar, AFP said.

A tense 1-1 draw against Spain gave them hope of qualification, but the Spaniards' own defeat at the hands of the Japanese Thursday sealed the Germans' fate despite a turbulent 4-2 win over Costa Rica.

"Nobody expected Japan to beat Spain, but in the end we were knocked out deservedly," Warncke, 27, says.

To his mind, there are "too few characters, too few leaders" in Hansi Flick's squad compared with the previous sides.

Germany used to pride itself on being a "tournament team", which always had a chance of winning World Cups.

"Individually they are all good players, but it's not a team," he says, lamenting the disappearance of Bastian Schweinsteiger and Lukas Podolski, who lifted the trophy in 2014.

Like him, his friend Rico Wagner, 23, summed up the feeling: "Disappointed, but we also deserved it".

- Viewing figures -
After a rollercoaster game in which Germany first seemed to be going through, then did not and finally could not do enough despite a late push, the fans in the bar showed their frustration.

Even before the TV commentator confirmed Japan's win and Germany's exit, crying "this is a debacle, this is a disaster," some fans grabbed their coats and headed for the door.

The full-time whistle, when it came, was met with angry shouts.

Germany should have made it "to the quarter finals, definitely", says Levent Lanzke, 41.

"On paper it was possible, but Japan turned up. Costa Rica, too," he said with a shrug.

"Put it this way, I don't begrudge Japan," he said.

"The enthusiasm was already really low," said Sebastian Fichte, 48, reflecting on the controversial host nation Qatar and the decision to move the tournament to the European winter months from its traditional summer slot.

Concerns over human rights in Qatar have dogged preparations for the tournament and sparked calls by some of Germany's football fan clubs to boycott games.

When football's world governing body FIFA threatened teams with disciplinary action if they wore a rainbow armband to show support for diversity and inclusivity, the German players posed for a photo with their hands over their mouths. The message was clear -- they had been gagged.

Viewing figures for Germany's games so far have been well below their usual levels.

But Fichte says he will not be boycotting the rest of the World Cup despite Germany's exit.

Likewise, another fan, 43-year-old Michael Schreiber, says: "I'll watch a game or two. Definitely. I get excited about good games most of all."



Verstappen Blames Frustration for a ‘Move That Was Not Right’ After Colliding with Russell 

Formula One F1 - Spanish Grand Prix - Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya, Barcelona, Spain - May 31, 2025 Red Bull's Max Verstappen reacts after qualifying in third place. (Reuters)
Formula One F1 - Spanish Grand Prix - Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya, Barcelona, Spain - May 31, 2025 Red Bull's Max Verstappen reacts after qualifying in third place. (Reuters)
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Verstappen Blames Frustration for a ‘Move That Was Not Right’ After Colliding with Russell 

Formula One F1 - Spanish Grand Prix - Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya, Barcelona, Spain - May 31, 2025 Red Bull's Max Verstappen reacts after qualifying in third place. (Reuters)
Formula One F1 - Spanish Grand Prix - Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya, Barcelona, Spain - May 31, 2025 Red Bull's Max Verstappen reacts after qualifying in third place. (Reuters)

Max Verstappen said Monday that frustration caused “a move that was not right and shouldn’t have happened”, a day after he initially seemed unrepentant over his collision with George Russell at Formula 1’s Spanish Grand Prix.

Before the collision, Verstappen had been asked by his Red Bull team to give up a place to Russell. It followed an earlier incident between the two drivers when Russell had tried to get past Verstappen, who went off the track.

The race stewards ruled Verstappen had “suddenly accelerated” before the collision and Russell said it “felt very deliberate”. The stewards gave Verstappen a 10-second penalty which dropped him from fifth to 10th and left him 49 points off standings leader Oscar Piastri, who won Sunday's race.

“We had an exciting strategy and good race in Barcelona, till the safety car came out. Our tire choice to the end and some moves after the safety car restart fueled my frustration, leading to a move that was not right and shouldn’t have happened,” Verstappen wrote on Instagram.

“I always give everything out there for the team and emotions can run high. You win some together, you lose some together. See you (at the next race) in Montreal.”

Initially in the aftermath of Sunday's race, Verstappen had said that “next time I will bring a tissue”, responding to Russell claiming he set a poor example for young drivers. Russell finished fourth.

The collision followed a series of setbacks for Verstappen, who had been in third and pressuring the two McLaren drivers in front before the safety car came out.

Red Bull decided to bring Verstappen into the pits for fresh tires, even though the only ones he had left were slower hard-compound tires, a type that no other driver used.

At the restart, Verstappen lost grip and was overtaken by Charles Leclerc, whose Ferrari made contact with Verstappen's Red Bull. Neither driver was ruled at fault for that.

Verstappen then went off the track while defending against Russell and Red Bull asked Verstappen to give up the place to Russell, apparently because the team expected Verstappen would be given a penalty. The stewards later ruled they wouldn't have taken action against the Dutch driver for that incident.

Risking a suspension Verstappen needs to be careful in the next two races because the penalty for the collision with Russell also brought him penalty points on his license, taking him to 11 in the last 12 months. Drivers get a one-race suspension if they hit 12 points in a year.

Two of those points expire at the end of the month, but until then Verstappen needs to get through the Canadian and Austrian Grands Prix without any further penalty points.