Germans Ignored Customary Gesture After Debacle; Only One Player Acknowledged Coach

Shortly after the final whistle of the match against Paraguay, a reporter at the stadium asked Antonio Rüdiger what share Julian Nagelsmann had in Germany's defeat.

"In my opinion, none. He gave us everything. And I want to emphasize again that he is a top coach. We must be grateful to have such a coach. It's our fault as players," replied the Real Madrid defender, who later commented on Nagelsmann's resignation on Instagram.

"Thank you for your trust, dedication, and knowledge, coach! I wish you all the best in your future career!" Rüdiger wrote, despite having lost his position as a defensive leader precisely during the 38-year-old coach's tenure with the national team. However, Nagelsmann had defended him several times in recent years when many labeled him as an unreliable player.

Following a coach's departure, it's customary for players to offer at least a few words, even if formal. The gesture itself holds significance, yet this time, not even captain Joshua Kimmich, who boasts nearly 9 million Instagram followers, bothered to do so. Manuel Neuer, with over 15 million followers, has the largest reach.

In their recent posts, players only expressed disappointment, thanked fans, and apologized to them. "We let Germany down. That's a fact. There's nothing more to add at this moment. Thank you for this opportunity," striker Deniz Undav summarized concisely. However, not a single sentence was dedicated to the coach who led the national team for three years.

In Germany, there are speculations that footballers and their marketing teams deliberately omitted any mention of Nagelsmann, fearing they might become part of the wave of criticism that befell him after the World Cup failure. However, the possibility that the players said their goodbyes privately cannot be ruled out either.