Harsh Words for Germany and a Betrayal of Football. Lothar Matthäus After the World Cup: It Should Never Have Happened

The former German captain began by congratulating the Spanish national team on their World Cup victory. He emphasized that throughout the tournament, they were the superior side in every aspect – from individual talent and physical conditioning to tactical discipline. "You deserve to be crowned world champions," stated Lothar Matthäus.

In his assessment of other teams, he singled out Italy as the biggest disappointment, having failed to even qualify for the championship. Germany was deemed the second least successful, with their representatives, according to Matthäus, once again failing to translate their individual quality onto the pitch.

He criticized their performances against Ivory Coast, Ecuador, and Paraguay, noting that their only convincing display came against Curaçao, who played an overly open game in the opening match.

Lothar Matthäus argues that the team's failure wasn't solely due to footballing quality, but primarily the mental state of Julian Nagelsmann's squad. He believes their opponents were more combative, better physically prepared, and showed a greater desire for success.

"In terms of playing style, this was the worst championship of the last three," the former footballer wrote in his commentary for the Bild newspaper. He added that even in 2022, when Germany exited in the group stage, their play was significantly better.

He recalled the 1-1 draw with Spain, where he felt Germany was at least an equal opponent. He also highlighted that eleven players from that Spanish squad in Qatar are now world champions, while the majority of the German roster remained largely the same. "Progress? Absolutely none," he concluded.

While Matthäus admitted that Julian Nagelsmann made several mistakes, he refused to place all the blame solely on the national team coach. He believes that problems in German football have been accumulating for several years and now require thorough analysis. He also expressed confidence that the new coach, Jürgen Klopp, can initiate the necessary changes.

The former Germany captain deemed unacceptable, for instance, the rescinding of the red card for American forward Folarin Balogun after a phone call from Donald Trump to FIFA President Gianni Infantino. "That should never have happened; it was a betrayal of fair play and football itself," Lothar Matthäus fumed.

He also strongly objected to the increasing commercialization of football. He criticized the refreshment breaks during matches, which he believes alter the character of the sport and primarily serve to broadcast more advertising slots. He was also unimpressed by the halftime show in the final, which he felt belonged more in American football games.

Despite the extensive criticism, the 65-year-old German praised the atmosphere created by fans from around the world, even amidst high ticket prices, challenging travel, and strict security checks.

He also commended the sporting quality of the championship itself. He appreciated the attacking football, dramatic comebacks, and the performances of stars like Lionel Messi, Kylian Mbappé, Michael Olise, Rodri, Harry Kane, Jude Bellingham, and Erling Haaland. He also highlighted the pleasant surprises of the tournament in the form of Cape Verde and Congo, which he believes enriched the World Cup.

He added that while he was initially skeptical about expanding the tournament to 48 participants, he has since reconsidered his opinion, as the increased number of national teams provided an opportunity for smaller countries to showcase their footballing prowess.

He even conceded that he could imagine a championship with 64 teams. "In that case, Italy would certainly return," the former West Germany captain, who won the World Cup with them in 1990, ironically remarked.

"Finally, something reassuring regarding the German national team. I see our players, top clubs, enjoying success. I see the success of our youth national teams. There is enormous potential. I am not worried about the future of German football. However, I hope that appropriate steps will finally be taken," Lothar Matthäus concluded.