In the past 16 World Cups, Germany have never failed to make it to the last eight. They came to Russia as World and Confederations Cup champions, as a nation that had industrialised youth development, that seemed to have effectively eliminated the possibility of failure. But football has a strange way of making a mockery of the most well-grounded predictions and they went home after losing to a South Korea side that had already lost to Sweden and Mexico.
What was baffling here was how limp Germany were. There was no cavalry charge, no siege laid to the Korean goal. There was a passivity, a meek acceptance of fact. As news of Sweden’s goals broke, Jogi Low hurled on Mario Gomez and Thomas Muller, and it made not a scrap of difference.
The knife, in the end, was lunged in by VAR, which showed Toni Kroos prodding back the ball that Kim Young-gwon lashed home from a late corner, overturning an offside call. And then, as though the gods had decided thoroughly to mock Germany, Manuel Neuer, whose peregrinations form his goal have been such an asset for Germany, was caught in possession high up field by Ju Se-jng. He whacked a long ball into the Germany half and Son Heng-min chased on to rolled the ball into an empty net. It was Sweden and Mexico going through.
World Cup: South Korea vs Germany player ratings 22 show all World Cup: South Korea vs Germany player ratings 1/22 Cho Hyun-woo - 8/10 Made several fantastic saves, including a diving save early in the second half to deny Goretzka. A deserved clean sheet for him AFP/Getty Images 2/22 Lee Yong - 7/10 Defended very strongly at right back and got forward to on the break to give South Korea’s attack more options. Ran himself into the ground AFP/Getty Images 3/22 Yun Young-sun - 7/10 Outstanding in defence. Germany kept coming at South Korea and, baring a couple of mistakes, Young-sun held his own against the World Cup holders AFP/Getty Images 4/22 Kim Young-gwon - 8/10 Linked well with Yun Young-Sun in defence to stop Germany’s attacks. Got the goal that knocked out the world champions before Son landed the hammer blow. A class performance AFP/Getty Images 5/22 Chul Hong - 7/10 Was put under immense pressure at left-back as Germany pounded the right side but stood strong and kept a clean sheet Getty Images, 6/22 Lee Jae-sung - 7/10 Led the attack out of Korea’s half when they moved onto the counter. Delivered good balls into Son to give Korea their best chances on goal EPA 7/22 Jang Hyun-soo - 6/10 Quick on the counter attack and broke free regularly in the second half. Didn't provide enough service to Son, though AFP/Getty Images 8/22 Jung Woo-young - 7/10 Had a good free kick saved by Neuer. Attacked well on the counter in the second half EPA 9/22 Moon Seon-min - 7/10 Worked like a racehorse down the left, sprinting back and forth all day. His only negative was holding onto the ball too long near Germany's goal AFP/Getty Images 10/22 Son Heung-Min - 7/10 Advanced forward when on the break and created a few half chances. Picked up a yellow card in the second half for diving but finally got his goal in the 96th minute REUTERS 11/22 Koo Ja-cheol - 6/10 Struggled with an injury so couldn’t make enough of his possession when he got into the box AP 12/22 Manuel Neuer - 6/10 Made an error in the first half that almost let Son Heung-Min score the opener, but he recovered well to punch it clear AFP/Getty Images 13/22 Joshua Kimmich - 6/10 He wasn’t challenged a great deal at the back but gave Germany options going forward, including a loopy cross in the second half to set up Goretzka AFP/Getty Images 14/22 Niklas Sule - 6/10 Made some quality passes from the back to launch a rather sluggish German side into attacking positions. Had a 98 per cent pass completion rate in the first half REUTERS 15/22 Mats Hummels - 6/10 Stormed forward in the second half to try and rescue his team, but to no avail. Germany's defence came undone in those chaotic final minutes AFP/Getty Images 16/22 Jonas Hector - 6/10 Went forward with serious gusto and more often than not found himself in front of goal. But that was about it from the player AFP/Getty Images 17/22 Sami Khedira - 6/10 Sluggish in midfield. Saw plenty of the ball but was unable to break down the South Korean defence AFP/Getty Images 18/22 Toni Kroos - 6/10 Didn’t play well enough today. Created some chances for his side but was lacking in urgency and desire Getty Images 19/22 Leon Goretzka - 5/10 Had one of Germany’s best chances in the second half; should have directed his header better but forced Cho into the save AFP/Getty Images 20/22 Mesut Ozil - 5/10 A poor performance. He was slow in midfield while a number of his passes missed their target by some way. He did, however, deliver the ball for Germany’s best chance of the second half AFP/Getty Images 21/22 Marco Reus - 6/10 Tried his best to create chances all over the pitch but came up against a determined South Korean side Getty Images 22/22 Timo Werner - 5/10 Didn’t find enough good positions as the front-line striker. Often drifted to the left which limited his chances on goal AFP/Getty Images 1/22 Cho Hyun-woo - 8/10 Made several fantastic saves, including a diving save early in the second half to deny Goretzka. A deserved clean sheet for him AFP/Getty Images 2/22 Lee Yong - 7/10 Defended very strongly at right back and got forward to on the break to give South Korea’s attack more options. Ran himself into the ground AFP/Getty Images 3/22 Yun Young-sun - 7/10 Outstanding in defence. Germany kept coming at South Korea and, baring a couple of mistakes, Young-sun held his own against the World Cup holders AFP/Getty Images 4/22 Kim Young-gwon - 8/10 Linked well with Yun Young-Sun in defence to stop Germany’s attacks. Got the goal that knocked out the world champions before Son landed the hammer blow. A class performance AFP/Getty Images 5/22 Chul Hong - 7/10 Was put under immense pressure at left-back as Germany pounded the right side but stood strong and kept a clean sheet Getty Images, 6/22 Lee Jae-sung - 7/10 Led the attack out of Korea’s half when they moved onto the counter. Delivered good balls into Son to give Korea their best chances on goal EPA 7/22 Jang Hyun-soo - 6/10 Quick on the counter attack and broke free regularly in the second half. Didn't provide enough service to Son, though AFP/Getty Images 8/22 Jung Woo-young - 7/10 Had a good free kick saved by Neuer. Attacked well on the counter in the second half EPA 9/22 Moon Seon-min - 7/10 Worked like a racehorse down the left, sprinting back and forth all day. His only negative was holding onto the ball too long near Germany's goal AFP/Getty Images 10/22 Son Heung-Min - 7/10 Advanced forward when on the break and created a few half chances. Picked up a yellow card in the second half for diving but finally got his goal in the 96th minute REUTERS 11/22 Koo Ja-cheol - 6/10 Struggled with an injury so couldn’t make enough of his possession when he got into the box AP 12/22 Manuel Neuer - 6/10 Made an error in the first half that almost let Son Heung-Min score the opener, but he recovered well to punch it clear AFP/Getty Images 13/22 Joshua Kimmich - 6/10 He wasn’t challenged a great deal at the back but gave Germany options going forward, including a loopy cross in the second half to set up Goretzka AFP/Getty Images 14/22 Niklas Sule - 6/10 Made some quality passes from the back to launch a rather sluggish German side into attacking positions. Had a 98 per cent pass completion rate in the first half REUTERS 15/22 Mats Hummels - 6/10 Stormed forward in the second half to try and rescue his team, but to no avail. Germany's defence came undone in those chaotic final minutes AFP/Getty Images 16/22 Jonas Hector - 6/10 Went forward with serious gusto and more often than not found himself in front of goal. But that was about it from the player AFP/Getty Images 17/22 Sami Khedira - 6/10 Sluggish in midfield. Saw plenty of the ball but was unable to break down the South Korean defence AFP/Getty Images 18/22 Toni Kroos - 6/10 Didn’t play well enough today. Created some chances for his side but was lacking in urgency and desire Getty Images 19/22 Leon Goretzka - 5/10 Had one of Germany’s best chances in the second half; should have directed his header better but forced Cho into the save AFP/Getty Images 20/22 Mesut Ozil - 5/10 A poor performance. He was slow in midfield while a number of his passes missed their target by some way. He did, however, deliver the ball for Germany’s best chance of the second half AFP/Getty Images 21/22 Marco Reus - 6/10 Tried his best to create chances all over the pitch but came up against a determined South Korean side Getty Images 22/22 Timo Werner - 5/10 Didn’t find enough good positions as the front-line striker. Often drifted to the left which limited his chances on goal AFP/Getty Images
The South Korea coach Shin Tae-song has spent his tournament making excuses. Sweden, he said, were too tall. His side lost to Mexico because of some structural issue in the Korean league. Before Wednesday’s game, he seemed mildly irritated that Germany had not won their opening two games, meaning that they ended up going into this game needing a win and so unable to rest players. There simply hadn’t been time, he insisted, to prepare a strategy for such an eventuality.
He gave his team a one per cent chance of progress. Son Heung-min, trying to make the best of a bad situation, observed that while there was a one per cent chance there was hope – and there was. And, frankly, while Germany are as bad as this there was always hope.
Low made five changes to the side that had beaten Sweden, restoring Mesut Ozil and Sami Khedira and leaving out Thomas Muller for the first time since the semi-final of Euro 2012. That meant only three German outfielders had started all three group games, a staggering level of uncertainty for a team that had qualified so impressively and won the Confederations Cup. Given that tournament was won with what was essentially a second string, perhaps the issue was a surfeit of options.
Either way, this was a grimly disjointed display from Germany, the only real positive being that South Korea were never able to counter-attack them as Mexico and Sweden had. Not until six minutes before half-timewas there a German chance worthy of the name, Ozil laying in Timo Werner whose shot was deflected over by Kim Young-gwan.
Mats Hummels then turned sharply in the box from the resulting corner, only for Cho Hyeon-woo to smother at his feet. Cho made an even better save three minutes into the second half, leaping to his right to palm away Leon Goretzka’s header.
The Daegu FC keeper, whose flamboyant ginger Neymar-cut has earned him the nickname Dae Hair in Korea (a pun on De Gea, based in the fact “dae” means “great” in Korean), came into the tournament as third-choice, but he seized the opportunity after being selected for the opening game against Sweden because of his height and was arguably his country’s player of the tournament.
Löw had said he would make sure he was kept updated about the progress of the other game and, as Sweden scored, meaning Germany had to win, he threw on Mario Gomez and Müller. That perhaps did enhance the attacking treat offered by Germany, but it also recreated the issues in stifling counter-attacks that had dogged them against Mexico and, to a lesser extent, Sweden. A better side than South Korea would surely have taken advantage but, too often, there was a reluctance to shoot, an insistence on taking the extra touch that allowed Germany to recover.
But Germany, listless and disjointed as they had been at times in the early stages of the last World Cup but with no Miroslav Klose to save them, could not take advantage. Slowly, the castle subsided and a fourth of the last five world champions slipped out on the group stage. None, though, went with such a sense of surprise as this.
Follow the Independent Sport on Instagram here, for all of the best images, videos and stories from around the sporting world.
The Germany manager Joachim Löw admitted that arrogance had played its part as Germany went out of the World Cup in the first round since 1938. He refused to confirm, meanwhile, whether he would still be in charge of Germany for the European Championship campaign that begins in the autumn.
The problem, Löw insisted, had not been against Sweden or even here, where Germany were undone as they were forced to chase the game. What had undone them was the 1-0 defeat to Mexico. “We had a good training camp,” Löw said. “The team worked well, players were training really well. But the two friendly matches, against Austria and Saudi Arabia, were not good. Maybe we thought at the push of a button we could shift gears, but we lost against Mexico. If we had taken a point it would have been different. We couldn’t flip that switch. We were convinced once tournament started we would be able to play well but it didn’t happen.”
World Cup: South Korea vs Germany player ratings 22 show all World Cup: South Korea vs Germany player ratings 1/22 Cho Hyun-woo - 8/10 Made several fantastic saves, including a diving save early in the second half to deny Goretzka. A deserved clean sheet for him AFP/Getty Images 2/22 Lee Yong - 7/10 Defended very strongly at right back and got forward to on the break to give South Korea’s attack more options. Ran himself into the ground AFP/Getty Images 3/22 Yun Young-sun - 7/10 Outstanding in defence. Germany kept coming at South Korea and, baring a couple of mistakes, Young-sun held his own against the World Cup holders AFP/Getty Images 4/22 Kim Young-gwon - 8/10 Linked well with Yun Young-Sun in defence to stop Germany’s attacks. Got the goal that knocked out the world champions before Son landed the hammer blow. A class performance AFP/Getty Images 5/22 Chul Hong - 7/10 Was put under immense pressure at left-back as Germany pounded the right side but stood strong and kept a clean sheet Getty Images, 6/22 Lee Jae-sung - 7/10 Led the attack out of Korea’s half when they moved onto the counter. Delivered good balls into Son to give Korea their best chances on goal EPA 7/22 Jang Hyun-soo - 6/10 Quick on the counter attack and broke free regularly in the second half. Didn't provide enough service to Son, though AFP/Getty Images 8/22 Jung Woo-young - 7/10 Had a good free kick saved by Neuer. Attacked well on the counter in the second half EPA 9/22 Moon Seon-min - 7/10 Worked like a racehorse down the left, sprinting back and forth all day. His only negative was holding onto the ball too long near Germany's goal AFP/Getty Images 10/22 Son Heung-Min - 7/10 Advanced forward when on the break and created a few half chances. Picked up a yellow card in the second half for diving but finally got his goal in the 96th minute REUTERS 11/22 Koo Ja-cheol - 6/10 Struggled with an injury so couldn’t make enough of his possession when he got into the box AP 12/22 Manuel Neuer - 6/10 Made an error in the first half that almost let Son Heung-Min score the opener, but he recovered well to punch it clear AFP/Getty Images 13/22 Joshua Kimmich - 6/10 He wasn’t challenged a great deal at the back but gave Germany options going forward, including a loopy cross in the second half to set up Goretzka AFP/Getty Images 14/22 Niklas Sule - 6/10 Made some quality passes from the back to launch a rather sluggish German side into attacking positions. Had a 98 per cent pass completion rate in the first half REUTERS 15/22 Mats Hummels - 6/10 Stormed forward in the second half to try and rescue his team, but to no avail. Germany's defence came undone in those chaotic final minutes AFP/Getty Images 16/22 Jonas Hector - 6/10 Went forward with serious gusto and more often than not found himself in front of goal. But that was about it from the player AFP/Getty Images 17/22 Sami Khedira - 6/10 Sluggish in midfield. Saw plenty of the ball but was unable to break down the South Korean defence AFP/Getty Images 18/22 Toni Kroos - 6/10 Didn’t play well enough today. Created some chances for his side but was lacking in urgency and desire Getty Images 19/22 Leon Goretzka - 5/10 Had one of Germany’s best chances in the second half; should have directed his header better but forced Cho into the save AFP/Getty Images 20/22 Mesut Ozil - 5/10 A poor performance. He was slow in midfield while a number of his passes missed their target by some way. He did, however, deliver the ball for Germany’s best chance of the second half AFP/Getty Images 21/22 Marco Reus - 6/10 Tried his best to create chances all over the pitch but came up against a determined South Korean side Getty Images 22/22 Timo Werner - 5/10 Didn’t find enough good positions as the front-line striker. Often drifted to the left which limited his chances on goal AFP/Getty Images 1/22 Cho Hyun-woo - 8/10 Made several fantastic saves, including a diving save early in the second half to deny Goretzka. A deserved clean sheet for him AFP/Getty Images 2/22 Lee Yong - 7/10 Defended very strongly at right back and got forward to on the break to give South Korea’s attack more options. Ran himself into the ground AFP/Getty Images 3/22 Yun Young-sun - 7/10 Outstanding in defence. Germany kept coming at South Korea and, baring a couple of mistakes, Young-sun held his own against the World Cup holders AFP/Getty Images 4/22 Kim Young-gwon - 8/10 Linked well with Yun Young-Sun in defence to stop Germany’s attacks. Got the goal that knocked out the world champions before Son landed the hammer blow. A class performance AFP/Getty Images 5/22 Chul Hong - 7/10 Was put under immense pressure at left-back as Germany pounded the right side but stood strong and kept a clean sheet Getty Images, 6/22 Lee Jae-sung - 7/10 Led the attack out of Korea’s half when they moved onto the counter. Delivered good balls into Son to give Korea their best chances on goal EPA 7/22 Jang Hyun-soo - 6/10 Quick on the counter attack and broke free regularly in the second half. Didn't provide enough service to Son, though AFP/Getty Images 8/22 Jung Woo-young - 7/10 Had a good free kick saved by Neuer. Attacked well on the counter in the second half EPA 9/22 Moon Seon-min - 7/10 Worked like a racehorse down the left, sprinting back and forth all day. His only negative was holding onto the ball too long near Germany's goal AFP/Getty Images 10/22 Son Heung-Min - 7/10 Advanced forward when on the break and created a few half chances. Picked up a yellow card in the second half for diving but finally got his goal in the 96th minute REUTERS 11/22 Koo Ja-cheol - 6/10 Struggled with an injury so couldn’t make enough of his possession when he got into the box AP 12/22 Manuel Neuer - 6/10 Made an error in the first half that almost let Son Heung-Min score the opener, but he recovered well to punch it clear AFP/Getty Images 13/22 Joshua Kimmich - 6/10 He wasn’t challenged a great deal at the back but gave Germany options going forward, including a loopy cross in the second half to set up Goretzka AFP/Getty Images 14/22 Niklas Sule - 6/10 Made some quality passes from the back to launch a rather sluggish German side into attacking positions. Had a 98 per cent pass completion rate in the first half REUTERS 15/22 Mats Hummels - 6/10 Stormed forward in the second half to try and rescue his team, but to no avail. Germany's defence came undone in those chaotic final minutes AFP/Getty Images 16/22 Jonas Hector - 6/10 Went forward with serious gusto and more often than not found himself in front of goal. But that was about it from the player AFP/Getty Images 17/22 Sami Khedira - 6/10 Sluggish in midfield. Saw plenty of the ball but was unable to break down the South Korean defence AFP/Getty Images 18/22 Toni Kroos - 6/10 Didn’t play well enough today. Created some chances for his side but was lacking in urgency and desire Getty Images 19/22 Leon Goretzka - 5/10 Had one of Germany’s best chances in the second half; should have directed his header better but forced Cho into the save AFP/Getty Images 20/22 Mesut Ozil - 5/10 A poor performance. He was slow in midfield while a number of his passes missed their target by some way. He did, however, deliver the ball for Germany’s best chance of the second half AFP/Getty Images 21/22 Marco Reus - 6/10 Tried his best to create chances all over the pitch but came up against a determined South Korean side Getty Images 22/22 Timo Werner - 5/10 Didn’t find enough good positions as the front-line striker. Often drifted to the left which limited his chances on goal AFP/Getty Images
Marco Reus said even after that game that he was being rested for “more important” matches, while Germany were almost recklessly attacking, pushing forward from full-back on both flanks, leaving only Sami Khedira to protect the defence. The chaotic nature of that defeat led to a major rethink, such that only Mathias Ginter of the 20 outfield players in the squad remained unused.
“Because of a number of bans and injuries we had to make some changes to the line-up,” he said, “and back in 2014 that was the case as well. A team will only begin to gel in the later stages, so it makes sense to bring players in and take others out. It was not just Mesut Ozil today who was not displaying the performance he usually would. In that sense I bear responsibility and I stand up to that.”
Low signed a contract extension in May to extend his time in charge of the national side form 2006, when he replaced Jurgen Klinsmann, to 2022, but he acknowledged he is considering his future. “It is too early for me to answer that question," he said. "We need a couple of hours to see things clearly. The disappointment is deep inside me. I couldn't imagine that we would lose to South Korea. I’m shocked because we didn’t pull it off today. It was my impression I spoke to the team that they were under pressure and they wanted to move ahead. It’s premature for me to say something, I’m incredibly disappointed. Where we go from here… we will have to take some time and talk about it calmly.”
If he does leave, Low is certain he is leaving German football in a healthy position, denying a suggestion that “dark times” lie ahead. “Until quite recently we were probably the most constant in terms of performance in past 10, 12 years. We were always in the final four for a long period including the 2014 and 2017 wins in the World Cup and the Confederations Cup. This is a case of absolute sadness and disappointment. We have young players who are very talented and still have the potential to go forward. This has happened to other nations before. We just have to draw the right conclusions.”
Follow the Independent Sport on Instagram here, for all of the best images, videos and stories from around the sporting world.
On Saturday, Kroos had given Germany what looked like a reprieve with his keepsake of a free kick to beat Sweden at the last minute.
Germany always finds a way, said those in the know as Kroos’s shot curled into the Swedish net as if guided by GPS. But that rush of pure adrenaline turned out to be a false dawn instead of the cathartic boost this talented but ultimately ineffectual team required.
With stars like Kroos, Mesut Özil and Mats Hummels, Germany won every match in qualifying for this World Cup, the first German team to do so. But it could not even make it out of the group phase in Russia.
Photo
It failed to score in both its opening 1-0 upset loss to Mexico and its defeat to South Korea, which was its first in a World Cup against an Asian team.
It appeared the Germans would need just one goal in the closing minutes on Wednesday to win and secure their place in the round of 16. Instead, they surrendered two goals in added time, to Kim Young-gwon and Son Heung-min, and lost.
And so it was Sweden and Mexico that qualified for the knockout phase from Group F. With Sweden defeating Mexico, 3-0, in Yekaterinburg, each finished with six points to South Korea and Germany’s three, with the Germans finishing last in the group on goal differential.
There seems to be a World Cup curse at work. Since the 1998 edition, the defending champion has been eliminated in the group phase on four occasions: France in 2002, Italy in 2010, Spain in 2014 and now Germany.
Advertisement Continue reading the main story
But this team’s early exit was still an undeniable shock, and Joachim Löw, the German coach since 2006, used that same word — “schock,” in his own language — to describe the experience on Wednesday.
“The disappointment of being eliminated is just huge,” said Löw, who added that the team deserved to go out early. “It turned sour. I must take responsibility for this.”
The surprise was visible on the painted faces of the German fans in the late-afternoon light in Kazan. Above all, it was etched on the features of the German players as they cried on the field or hunched forward, hands on their knees, trying to absorb the blow.
“Of course, we had high expectations for ourselves, but I don’t think we could fulfill it any of the three games,” said Hummels, the central defender who missed the Sweden game with an injury but returned to the lineup on Wednesday. “There was no game where we can say, ‘Yeah, we played the style we used to play and we expect ourselves to play.’ So we have to be disappointed in ourselves after such a tournament.”
A four-time World Cup winner, Germany was a finalist in 2002, third in 2006 and 2010 and the champion in 2014 after dealing the host nation, Brazil, a 7-1 defeat in the semifinals, the memory of which still leaves many Brazilians wincing.
But Brazil will be the team going deeper in this World Cup after qualifying for the knockout round later on Wednesday, and some Brazilians were in no mood to deprive themselves of a little schadenfreude.
Some remembered that in a Happy New Year’s tweet in 2017, Kroos replaced the Nos. 1 and 7 with Brazilian and German flags. On Wednesday, the account for Brazil’s sports daily Lance wished Kroos a happy 2018, replacing the Nos. 2 and 0 with South Korean and German flags.
“Football is a simple game,” once said Gary Lineker, the former English player. “Twenty-two men chase a ball for 90 minutes and at the end, the Germans always win.”
Advertisement Continue reading the main story
On Wednesday, Lineker, now a BBC pundit, updated his old quip, tweeting: “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.”
The Germans certainly have historical company, however. The list of defending champions to lose very early shows how difficult it is to maintain momentum and focus with national teams whose players practice and play together much less frequently than they do with their clubs.
Asked if this was the end of an era of German domination, Hummels shook his head and referred to the team’s loss in the 2016 European Championship after winning the World Cup.
“We didn’t dominate; we won one tournament; you have to be honest,” he said. “We’ve always been one of the strongest national teams. We wanted to prove that once again when we came back together again in September, but this tournament we haven’t been on the level we have to be at a World Cup. I think many teams have big problems, but somehow they survived. We did the same against Sweden when it was almost over for us, but we didn’t make it a second time.”
The struggles of soccer powers to remain soccer powers also reflects the increasingly global nature of the sport, where talent now finds its way to the highest level of the club game.
Son, the South Korean forward who scored the second goal on Wednesday, plays for Tottenham Hotspur in the English Premier League. Midfielder Koo Ja-cheol plays for F.C. Augsburg in Germany’s Bundesliga, where many of Germany’s stars make their excellent livings.
The intimidation factor is not what it was, but Germany was still among the rightful favorites entering this World Cup. Löw, at least in public on Wednesday, was grasping for answers, but did suggest self-satisfaction had played a role.
“It was a bit of overconfidence ahead of Mexico,” he said. “That we can press the button and win.”
Advertisement Continue reading the main story
Löw tried to press a few of his own in Russia. He benched Özil and midfielder Sami Khedira for the second game against Sweden and then, after noting publicly that they had shown a good reaction in practice, reinserted them in the lineup on Wednesday while leaving out Thomas Müller, a longtime national team fixture who had struggled to find his form in the first two games.
But the shuffling could not solve the team’s attacking issues. The Germans certainly had opportunities. They repeatedly struck at the South Korean goal on Wednesday afternoon, just as they had done against Mexico in the second half last week.
They took 26 shots to the South Koreans’ 11, but the finishing touch was lacking.
There was a low and dangerous shot from Kroos that was saved by the diving Korean goalkeeper Jo Hyeon-woo, who was excellent on Wednesday.
“Our coach told us that Germany probably wouldn’t think the Koreans are very strong,” Jo said. “I just tried to relax during the game and enjoy the experience.”
There were also unchallenged headers from Hummels and the substitute Mario Gómez that missed their target late in the game.
“We had enough chances to score,” Hummels said. “I had a big chance in the 87th minute. I have to score this one. This chance will haunt me for a few weeks.”
Müller, who had been sent on to replace Leon Goretzka in the 63rd minute, could not change the equation. But unlike the previous defending champions to be eliminated this early, there was a modern twist to the German exit.
This is the first World Cup in which the video assistant referee system, or V.A.R., is being used, and in the third minute of added time, the South Koreans took a corner kick that the Germans struggled to clear. Amid the crowd, Kroos, one of the sport’s most accurate passers, flicked the ball back toward his teammate Niklas Süle, who, surprised, let the ball go through his legs.
Advertisement Continue reading the main story
It rolled on to Kim, deep in the box. He had time to control it and then score into the upper right corner past the charging German goalkeeper Manuel Neuer.
The celebration was cut short when the line judge raised his flag to indicate offside, but the referee, Mark Geiger of the United States, reviewed the sequence on a video screen after consulting via his earpiece with V.A.R. officials in Moscow. He ruled that Kim’s goal was valid.
Photo
The celebration resumed, and when it ended, Germany pushed forward in desperation, with Neuer, always eager to roam widely, abandoning his goal altogether and turning himself into an extra midfielder. He soon lost possession of the ball in the South Korean half, and Ju Se-jong lofted a long pass toward the empty German goal.
Son ran it down ahead of Süle and made it 2-0 with a flick of his left foot in the sixth minute of stoppage time.
Germany, as it turns out, does not always find a way, something that Kroos and his teammates will now have four years to reflect upon.
As the minutes ticked by after the defeat, Kroos remained with his hands on his hips until he was the last German player on the field. When he finally decided it was time, he walked slowly, painfully, toward the tunnel.
Then, like his team, he disappeared from view at this World Cup.
——
[See how Sweden beat Mexico by clicking here.]
Here’s how South Korea beat Germany (by Kevin Draper):
90+10’: Germany Is Out!
It’s all over! The defending World Cup champions are out!
Sweden and Mexico advance out of Group F.
Germany Devastated
Photo
90+6’: GOAL SOUTH KOREA!
Son Heung-Min doubles the South Korean lead. German goalkeeper Manuel Neuer had gone forward as Germany desperately searched for an equalizer and winner.
Advertisement Continue reading the main story
South Korea booted the ball forward, and Son tracked it down with no German defenders back, and rolled it into the empty net.
90+5’: Hummels Goes Too High
Hummels with another header, but he pops it over the goal.
90+4’: GOAL SOUTH KOREA!
South Korea goal ruled offside — then onside after review! Off the corner, the ball squirted through to Kim Young-gwon on the back post. After taking a touch to steady himself, Kim blasts it off Neuer’s foot and in.
Man of the Match
Photo
90’: South Korea Killing Clock
South Korea has a corner kick, and as you might expect it’s walking about as slowly as possible to take it.
Lee Yong is down getting treatment, as American referee Mark Geiger gives 6 minutes of stoppage time.
88’: Kroos Keeps Trying
Toni Kroos with another shot from outside the box, but it’s too close to Jo Hyeon-Woo, who smothers it.
Newsletter Sign Up Continue reading the main story Please verify you're not a robot by clicking the box. Invalid email address. Please re-enter. You must select a newsletter to subscribe to. Sign Up You will receive emails containing news content , updates and promotions from The New York Times. You may opt-out at any time. You agree to receive occasional updates and special offers for The New York Times's products and services. Thank you for subscribing. An error has occurred. Please try again later. View all New York Times newsletters.
87’: Painful Miss for Ozil
Germany chance! Mats Hummels runs free into the box for a Mesut Ozil cross but mistimes the flick of his neck and the ball goes off his shoulder.
84’: Germany is Running Out of Time
Marco Reus and Toni Kroos have both taken dangerous looking shots from outside the box but can’t get them on frame.
The fact that Reus and Kroos are resorting to shots from outside the box tells you how stout the South Korean defense has been.
82’: Still Looking for a Good Shot
Germany once again camped out in front of the South Korea goal and gets two half-chances but can’t get off a solid shot.
Advertisement Continue reading the main story
80’: Back and Forth for Nothing
A chance for Germany on one end as a ball slips through the box. A chance for South Korea on the other, but the counter attack is wasted. Ten seconds later Germany is back in front of South Korea’s goal but is called offside.
78’: South Korea Goes Wide
Korea chance! Son Heung-Min drags his shot from the corner of the box just wide!
78’: Last Sub for Germany
Germany with their final change, pulling defender Jonas Hector for Julian Brandt.
76’: Other Game: Sweden Strikes Again
Mexico concedes another, and they’re being absolutely trounced by Sweden. Mexico really needs South Korea to hold on here.
Need This Energy on the Field
Photo
73’: Will This Work for South Korea?
South Korea consistently has 10 men behind the ball. Only Son Heung-Min is staying high in anticipation of a counter attack.
70’: Too High
Toni Kroos with a desperation 25-yard shot that goes well over.
68’: No Good
Mario Gomez with a powerful header, but it’s right at the South Korean goalkeeper.
Nice Save
Photo
67’: South Korea Attacks
Pulsing end-to-end action here, as both midfields seem to have disappeared, which perhaps isn’t surprising considering Germany has taken off two midfielders for forwards. South Korea is having a lot more success on the counter attack now.
65’: And Another One
Son Heung-Min goes down in the box and the referee blows the whistle … to call Son for diving. He’s yellow carded.
62’: Other Game: Sweden Scores Again
In the other game, Sweden has scored a penalty to go up 2-0. A German goal now would put Germany through.
Advertisement Continue reading the main story
62’: Time for Germany to Push
And now Thomas Müller on for Leon Goretzka. Germany really going for the jugular here.
56’: South Korea Subs for Injured Player
Koo Ja-Cheol hobbles off the field with support, replaced by Hwang Hee-Chan, who plays for Red Bull Salzburg in Austria.
51’: Germany’s Shot Goes Wide
After some nice interplay, Timo Werner slices wide a volley from the penalty spot. They haven’t scored, but Germany’s players have already had better chances than in the first half.
50’: Goal … in the Other Game
Sweden scores in the other game! This should light a fire under Germany, because as things stand they’re going out of the World Cup.
48’: Another Yellow for South Korea
This time it’s Moon Seon-Min. It’s South Korea’s third yellow card of the day and ninth of the tournament, the most of any team.
47’: Not This Time
German chance! Leon Goretzka pops free eight yards out and gets a solid head to a cross, but Jo Hyeon-Woo dives and pushes it aside.
46’: Good Try
South Korea immediately tests Manuel Neuer from outside the box, but this time he comfortably holds onto the ball.
46’: Second Half Underway
Was Jogi Low’s halftime talk enough to inspire the Germans to a goal?
Halftime: Beginning of the End for Germany?
Germany has had all the possession but just two shots on goal, neither of them particularly dangerous. Even if Germany advances to the knockout round, it’s hard to imagine it going much further given how weak its attack has been.
In the other Group F game, Mexico-Sweden are also tied 0-0. As things stand, Germany and Sweden would both have 4 points, but Germany would advance on tiebreakers.
Advertisement Continue reading the main story
45+3: Not Enough Time
After three minutes of stoppage time, Mark Geiger blows the half to a close. Still no goals on either side.
43’: In a Nutshell
Timo Werner slams an open shot after the whistle is blown for a foul … and it goes off the post, which is a pretty good metaphor for the German attack this morning.
41’: Sigh
Germany seems to have fixed the “vulnerable to counter attacks behind its full backs” problem but not the “can’t really score a goal” one.
39’: Tangled Up
After a corner Mats Hummels has the ball six yards out from goal but can’t get it out from his feet for a shot before South Korean keeper Jo Hyeon-Woo pounces on it.
Someone Score … Please?
Photo
37’: One Good Note for Germany
At least you can say this about the German performance: I can’t remember the last time South Korea had the ball for more than about four seconds.
36’: Bored Yet?
Both teams need as many goals as they can get, but neither squad has come particularly close so far. This quiet half isn’t what we were expecting (or hoping for).
35’: South Korean Defenders Getting it Done
Every single German pass, cross, shot or dribble near the South Korean goal has been met ably by a South Korean defender.
32’: Where Are the Good Shots?
Germany is just camped out in front of the South Korean goal but hasn’t come particularly close to finding a quality shot.
Advertisement Continue reading the main story
26’: Germany Has the Edge
According to FIFA, Germany has had 70 percent of the possession, and has completed four times as many passes as South Korea.
23’: Second Yellow for South Korea
Now Lee Jae-Sung picks up a yellow card. South Korea seems to be fouling Germany every few minutes.
19’: That Was Close
Manuel Neuer almost gifted South Korea a goal!
Koo Ja-Cheol put a free kick directly at Neuer, but he fumbled it. Neuer was barely able to recover in time and punch the rebound away from an onrushing Son Heung-Min.
What is it with the best goalkeepers in the World at this World Cup? Against Portugal, David de Gea also bobbled a shot from outside the box, but unlike Neuer, his error resulted in a goal.
Christopher Clarey: Neuer 2018 is still a long way from Neuer 2014. Hard to imagine him struggling to hold on to a free kick like that in peak form.
14’: Missed Chance for Germany
Germany misses a golden opportunity. After dispossessing South Korea near its own goal, Timo Werner is wide open on the back post. But Leon Goretzka opts for a pass on the ground that is deflected out instead of crossing it to Werner.
13’: Germany Dominating Possession
Korea made a few attacking forays early, but the last 5 minutes Germany has had the entirety of the possession.
Fans Locked In But Not Loud
Christopher Clarey: So Joachim Löw made his point with Ozil and Khedira by benching them last game. We’ll see if they take the hint back on the field.
Advertisement Continue reading the main story
Nice atmosphere in the stadium, but once you’ve been to a Peru game, everything else seems quiet
9’: South Korea Gets First Yellow Card of Day
Emphatic yellow card for Jung Woo-Young, who took out Jonas Hector sliding for the ball near midfield.
8’: Slow Start
A cagey start, with neither team having a good attempt on goal yet.
4’: Weather Causing Cramps?
It was above 80 degrees at kickoff in Kazan. After their grueling victory over Sweden, a number of German players talked about their tiredness and cramps, which is perhaps why they made five changes to their starting lineup.
0’: Kickoff!
We are off! Germany is in green, while South Korea is in red.
This, then, is how the world ends, not with a bang but with a whimper. There are certain events so apocalyptic that it feels they cannot just happen. They should be signalled beneath thunderous skies as owls catch falcons and horses turn and eat themselves. At the very least there should be a sense of fury, of thwarted effort, of energies exhausted. And yet Germany went out of the World Cup in the first round for the first time in 80 years on a pleasantly sunny afternoon with barely a flicker of resistance. There was no Sturm. There was no Drang.
This was not the Germany we are used to – I feel completely empty | Thomas Hitzlsperger Read more
Germany had come to this World Cup not merely as defending champions but also as winners of the last summer’s Confederations Cup – with what was in effect a second string. The overhaul of their academy system was the envy of the world, talent production on an industrial scale. And yet, called upon to score a goal against a disappointing South Korea side who had already lost to Sweden and Mexico, that had lost in qualifying to Qatar and China, they struggled to create a chance.
Play Video 0:37 German fans react as champions are knocked out of World Cup – video
In the end it was VAR that undid them, Kim Young-gwon’s shot that had initially been ruled out for offside given as a goal when it was realised the ball had been played to him by Toni Kroos. And then, even after that, there was a beautiful farce of a goal, Manuel Neuer caught in possession miles upfield as Son Heung-min chased on to Ju Se-jong’s long ball and rolled the ball into an empty net. It was as though football itself was having its joke, the sweeper-keeper who had been such an asset four years ago turned into a liability.
Germany are the fourth of the last five world champions to go out in the group phase but this was as limp a defence as any side had managed. There was no defining defeat, as Spain had suffered to the Netherlands, just a whole load of baffling mundanity. There was a chance, three minutes from time, to steal a goal as they had stolen a late winner against Sweden in the second game but, presented with a free header eight yards out, Mats Hummels somehow misjudged his effort to the extent that the ball looped wide off his shoulder.
Jogi Löw, the Germany coach, had acknowledged that while the Sweden game was an improvement, his side had still had problems in defensive transition, too often leaving the two central defenders exposed. His solution was to bring Leon Goretzka on to the right of the 4-2-3-1, while restoring Mesut Özil and Sami Khedira, who had both been left out of the win over the Swedes.
It gives some indication of the difficulties Germany have had that only three outfielders started all three games. Thomas Müller, who has been struggling for form for a couple of years, was one of the latest sacrifices, the first time he had been left out of a tournament game by Germany since the semi-final of Euro 2012.
Neuer has also started all three games despite not having played for Bayern since September, when he fractured a bone in a foot. He has not been his usual assured self either and 19 minutes in, he fumbled a free-kick from Jung Woo-Young before recovering to fist the ball away as Son closed in. To blame him would be absurd, but equally he is clearly far from his best, and in retrospect forcing him back ahead of Marc-André ter-Stegen was perhaps an error.
But he was not the only one. Neuer’s uncertainty is part of a far greater whole. The German machine was gummed up here; there was no fluency and little cohesion going forward. Perhaps the aim was simply to deny South Korea the counterattacking chances granted to Mexico and Sweden and in that at least, the gameplan was a success. The gegenpressing was more efficient, but then the opponent was weaker, and there was significant cost in terms of attacking threat.
Play Video 1:04 South Korea and Mexico fans celebrate after Germany's World Cup exit – video
Not until Goretzka met a Joshua Kimmich cross with a flicked header three minutes into the second half was there a real sense of German threat. Cho Hyun-woo, though, leapt to his right to claw the ball away. The Daegu FC keeper came into the tournament as third choice before being surprisingly selected for the opening game because he is the tallest of the three keepers and the coach, Shin Tae-yong, was obsessed by Sweden’s height. Cho then gained a cult status in South Korea, where his extravagant ginger bouffant has earned him the nickname “Dae-hair”, taking the Korean word for “great” to create a pun on De Gea.
Timo Werner volleyed wide soon after but that was a rare spasm of pressure. With news coming through that Sweden had scored and that Germany therefore needed to score, Löw threw on Mario Gomez and then Müller. Immediately those issues in defending against the counter returned and a more incisive side than South Korea would have taken advantage. It could, in truth, have been much worse, and over much sooner. But for Kroos’s brilliant late goal against Sweden, it would have been over a game ago.
In Brazil four years ago Germany struggled to get the balance right between attack and defence until the quarter-final. This time they never quite did and so, inevitably, unresisted, twilight fell upon the gods.
World Cup Fiver: sign up and get our daily football email
South Korea v Germany player ratings South Korea v Germany player ratings
