The World Cup winners’ curse has struck again. The last three champions – Italy, Spain and Germany – have all been knocked out at the group stage while defending their trophy. It’s becoming something of a trend, but that makes it no less surprising – especially when Germany are involved. Some people think you can never write off the Germans ... you can now.
‘Speechless’
Speechless 😶 Germany are out of the #WorldCup. #DieMannschaft #ZSMMN #KORGER 2-0 pic.twitter.com/FhN2QtNZmp
— Germany (@DFB_Team_EN) June 27, 2018
Football is no longer a simple game
Football is a simple game. Twenty-two men chase a ball for 90 minutes and at the end, the Germans no longer always win. Previous version is confined to history.
— Gary Lineker (@GaryLineker) June 27, 2018
‘MANUEL NEUER, YOU’RE A DISGRACE’
Hey @chris_sutton73 - what do you think of Manuel Neuer? 🗣️
— BBC 5 live Sport (@5liveSport) June 27, 2018
📻: https://t.co/owUyZtYyXA #KORGER #WorldCup #bbcworldcup pic.twitter.com/mup0UIA41j
If only Germany had Stones
John Stones has scored as many goals at the 2018 World Cup (2) as the entire Germany team combined. pic.twitter.com/sCZRL3F0HH
— Squawka Football (@Squawka) June 27, 2018
Revenge is sweet
Feliz 🇰🇷🇩🇪18! https://t.co/TxhI07N27v
— LANCE! (@lancenet) June 27, 2018
Motor racing tries to make itself relevant
They think it’s all over, it is now! Sorry Germany 🇩🇪🙃 #KORGER #MEXSWE pic.twitter.com/XF1AUZeauY
— ABB Formula E (@FIAFormulaE) June 27, 2018
Basil Fawlty has his say
Don't mention the VAR pic.twitter.com/GzQOdBd9zN
— Matthew Pinsent (@matthewcpinsent) June 27, 2018
Michael Ballack kicks off the recrimination ...
You can always go out early with a bad team, but not with a team like this one!! @DFB_Team
— Michael Ballack (@Ballack) June 27, 2018
Honest assessment must start !!!
Leadership?
Personality?
Mentality?#DieMannschaft #ZSMMN #WM2018 #WorldCup #worldcup2018 #Germany #Löw #DFB
... and Lothar Matthäus chips in with his assessment
Over confident, not prepared... Standard of the @Bundesliga_EN not good enough?
— beIN SPORTS (@beINSPORTS) June 27, 2018
Listen to @LMatthaeus10's scathing review of #GER's defeat 👇#beINRussia #beINFWC #WorldCup pic.twitter.com/tLLqKP66pl
The view from Mexico
The reaction in Mexico City was 🔥L🔥I🔥T🔥 after #KOR eliminated #GER to send #MEX through to the knockout stage! #WorldCup
— COPA90 US (@COPA90US) June 27, 2018
[🎥: @catrino] pic.twitter.com/S4M3bqcBAb
Let’s see how well this tweet ages
AHAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAAHAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAAHAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAAHAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAAHAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAAHAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAAHAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAAHAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA
— FOX Sports Brasil (@FoxSportsBrasil) June 27, 2018
Who will take the trophy?
The World Cup trophy will be changing hands 🏆 pic.twitter.com/HmkYpjxSFX
— B/R Football (@brfootball) June 27, 2018
Germany had 28 shots but could not beat Cho Hyeon-woo
#KORGER Korea Goalkeeper was the reason Germany failed to qualify. What a performance 👏👏👏 pic.twitter.com/cbu7LhKHFE
— Nqobani🙏 (@Nes365) June 27, 2018
And Wikipedia has reacted accordingly
The South Korea goalkeeper – "also known as the Mexican Saviour or the one true god" pic.twitter.com/wK7ZAPaVoJ
— Paul Campbell (@campbellwpaul) June 27, 2018
It’s coming home – at least a little bit
For the first time ever on foreign soil England will advance further than Germany/West Germany at a World Cup.@TimesSport
— Bill Edgar (@BillEdgarTimes) June 27, 2018
Game over
Game over for Germany! 🇩🇪😱 pic.twitter.com/cDJ8LYnY6j
— 8bit-Football.com (@8bitfootball) June 27, 2018
... but maybe we should have seen it coming all along
3 - Germany are the third successive World Cup reigning champions to be eliminated in the group stages after Spain in 2014 and Italy in 2010. Humbled. #GER #KOR #KORGER #WorldCup pic.twitter.com/CMMjn8jgBF
— OptaJoe (@OptaJoe) June 27, 2018