Kimmich's stark verdict: Germany never faced top‑tier opposition

Joshua Kimmich, one of Germany's captains, criticised his side after their early World Cup exit in North America, where Germany were knocked out by Paraguay on Monday via a penalty shootout following extra time. The German midfielder said the team and himself had failed in the tournament. "If I look back at the four matches we played at this World Cup, we did not play against top teams," Kimmich said, adding that they won one match convincingly but fell into serious trouble three times against sides he described as not world‑class. He emphasized that this assessment was a fact. Germany were drawn in Group E with Curaçao, Ivory Coast and Ecuador. Their opening match against the Curaçao side coached by Dick Advocaat ended in a dominant 7‑1 victory. The subsequent games against Ivory Coast and Ecuador were tighter, both ending 2‑1 in Germany's favour, with Ivory Coast's second goal coming from substitute Deniz Undav in injury time. Ecuador also managed to secure a win over Kimmich's side during the tournament.

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Despite the mixed results, Germany finished as group winners and advanced to the round of 32. In the knockout stage, Paraguay forced extra time before eliminating Germany after a penalty shootout, mirroring the fate of the Netherlands earlier in the competition.

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Back in the neighbouring Netherlands, criticism has risen, notably directed at head coach Julian Nagelsmann, as analysts and fans question the team's preparation. Kimmich's blunt comments add to the growing debate about Germany's future direction and the need for a reassessment of squad strategy.