Why the happy face, Merz? Football is just the latest system failing in Germany

The German team’s World Cup defeat to Paraguay is a metaphor for the country’s loss of prestige

Germany’s dismal World Cup performance offered no reprieve for a country already reeling from multiple economic and social crises, and Chancellor Friedrich Merz is struggling to sell the loss to Paraguay as a show of “strength.”

Germany lost a penalty shootout to Paraguay at Boston Stadium on Monday night, turning the country’s World Cup dreams into what German tabloid Bild called a “football nightmare.” 

The defeat in the first knockout stage of the tournament came as a surprise: Germany has won four World Cups, three European Championships, and never lost on penalties in football’s most prestigious tournament. The Germans entered the competition at 10th in FIFA’s world rankings, with Paraguay sitting in 41st.

However, these triumphs are becoming a thing of the past for Germany. After winning the World Cup in 2014, Germany failed to make it out of the tournament’s group stages in 2018 and 2022, and on Monday, manager Julian Nagelsmann conceded that “this is the third elimination in a row, so we are not part of the first-class teams any more.”

Bild referred to Monday night as “the night of shame,” but Merz attempted to put a positive spin on the loss. “With your commitment and team spirit at this World Cup, you have thrilled our country,” he addressed the team in a post on X, as fans back home in Germany smashed their beer bottles and left watch parties in dismay.

日本隊是世界一流水準的球隊，
日本球迷也絕對是世界一流水準的球迷！

看看德國輸球後球迷們的表現…

摔瓶子、打人，一地狼藉！

最後這些垃圾他們會帶走吧？