Germany suffer humiliation of second straight group-stage exit

AL KHOR, Qatar -- Germany crashed retired of the World Cup astatine the radical signifier for the 2nd successive tournament, contempt a second-half fightback to bushed Costa Rica 4-2 astatine Al Bayt Stadium connected Thursday.

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In a singular game, Germany took a first-half pb and seemed to beryllium coasting until 2 Costa Rica goals aboriginal successful the 2nd play rocked Hansi Flick's team. Although substitutes Kai Havertz (2) and Niclas Fullkrug scored to seal a 4-2 win, Japan's 2-1 triumph against Spain meant that Germany were out.

JUMP TO: Player ratings | Best/worst performers | Highlights and notable moments | Postmatch quotes | Key stats | Upcoming fixtures

Rapid reaction

1. Germany triumph but endure different humiliating group-stage exit

Germany suffered a 2nd successive World Cup humiliation by being eliminated astatine the radical signifier successful Qatar -- 4 years aft the aforesaid effect astatine Russia 2018.

Having mislaid 2-1 to Japan successful their opening crippled astatine the tourney past week, Flick's squad needed to bushed Costa Rica and anticipation that Spain would bushed Japan successful their crippled successful bid to progress. Japan produced their 2nd large upset of Qatar 2022 to bushed Luis Enrique's team, though, meaning that Germany were powerless to prevention themselves against the Ticos.

The aboriginal exit is apt to pb to a large overhaul successful German football, with Flick's presumption arsenic manager present susceptible aft a round-of-16 elimination astatine Euro 2020. Long-serving players specified arsenic Thomas Muller, Manuel Neuer, Antonio Rudiger, Mario Gotze and Ilkay Gundogan whitethorn besides person travel to the extremity of the enactment connected the planetary stage. With Germany owed to big Euro 2024 successful small much than 18 months' time, the request to renew the squad and physique astir young talents specified arsenic Havertz and Jamal Musiala is present obvious.

This World Cup volition awesome the extremity of an epoch successful German football, with the heroes of Brazil 2014 being moved on. Whether the caller procreation tin emulate them remains to beryllium seen.

2. Costa Rica boost CONCACAF up of 2026

Six CONCACAF teams volition play astatine the 2026 World Cup, with 3 places already assigned the the United States, Mexico and Canada arsenic co-hosts, but with Costa Rica joining Mexico and Canada by exiting Qatar 2022 astatine the radical stage, tin North and Central America truly beryllium competitory successful 4 years' time?

With location advantage, the associated hosts volition each expect to advancement to the knockout stages successful a 48-team competition, and Costa Rica's performances successful Qatar pursuing their 7-0 hammering astatine the hands of Spain amusement that the CONCACAF portion has the extent to beryllium assured of a palmy showing successful 2026. By beating Japan and past giving Germany an almighty scare astatine Al Bayt Stadium by starring 2-1 earlier yet losing 4-2, Los Ticos gave anticipation to the 2nd tier of CONCACAF nations hoping to suffice for World Cup 2026.

As 1 of the oldest squads successful Qatar, with an mean property of 27.2 years, Costa Rica volition request to refresh their squad with aged stagers specified arsenic Keylor Navas (35) and Celso Borges (34) apt to beryllium retired of the representation erstwhile the adjacent World Cup comes around. But the Ticos person been regular World Cup participants, reaching the quarterfinals successful 2014, and they volition expect to suffice up of the likes of Panama and Jamaica, who finished 5th and sixth respectively successful qualification this clip around.

El Salvador and Honduras volition some fancy their chances of qualification, with Haiti (1974) and Cuba (1938) besides retired to extremity agelong absences from the finals. Although lone the US person made it done to the circular of 16 this time, CONCACAF teams person shown capable to suggest they volition vie successful 4 years.

3. Neuer makes past connected a nighttime to forget

Neuer present stands retired connected his ain arsenic the goalkeeper with astir appearances astatine the World Cup. His 19th quality for Germany took him wide of Brazil's Claudio Taffarel and West Germany's Sepp Maier, but it was a nighttime that the 2014 World Cup victor won't privation to reminisce astir anytime soon.

At 36, this volition astir surely beryllium his past World Cup, but it was not the mode helium would person wanted to bow out.

Aside from the evident humiliation of being eliminated astatine the radical signifier for the 2nd successive World Cup, Neuer had a mediocre game, with his mistakes starring to some Costa Rica goals. Having made a stunning prevention from Keysher Fuller successful the archetypal half, Neuer past fumbled a Kendall Waston header to springiness Yeltsin Tejeda a tap-in for Costa Rica's opener earlier failing to woody with the transverse that led to Juan Pablo Vargas scoring Los Ticos' 2nd goal.

At his peak, Neuer was arguably the champion goalkeeper successful the satellite for a three- oregon four-year period, but injuries and property person caught up with the Bayern Munich No. 1. He is nary longer the beingness helium erstwhile was and has played his portion successful Germany's 2nd successive World Cup blowout.

Player ratings

Costa Rica: Keylor Navas 8; Keysher Fuller 7, Oscar Duarte 6, Kendall Waston 7, Juan Pablo Vargas 7, Bryan Oviedo 6; Brandon Aguilera 6, Celso Borges 6, Yeltsin Tejeda 8, Joel Campbell 6; Johan Venegas 7

Subs: Youstin Salas 7, Jewison Bennette 6, Ronald Matarrita 6, Anthony Contreras 6, Roan Wilson 6

Germany: Manuel Neuer 5; Joshua Kimmich 5, Niklas Sule 5, Antonio Rudiger 5, David Raum 6; Leon Goretzka 5, Ilkay Gundogan 5; Serge Gnabry 6, Jamal Musiala 8, Leroy Sane 5; Thomas Muller 5

Subs: Lukas Klosterman 5, Kai Havertz 7, Mario Gotze 6, Niclas Fullkrug 6, Matthias Ginter 6

Best and worst performers

BEST: Jamal Musiala, Germany. The 2022 World Cup volition beryllium poorer without the talents of Musiala, who gave everything for Germany and deed the station twice. A existent endowment and anticipation for the aboriginal of Die Nationalmannschaft.

WORST: Antonio Rudiger, Germany. A adjacent tally happening betwixt the Real Madrid defender and Neuer, but Rudiger was mediocre each night. Neuer astatine slightest made 1 bully save, but Rudiger made atrocious decisions from commencement to finish.

Highlights and notable moments

This is not thing fans of Germany volition privation to spot excessively overmuch of. Was it in? You decide. Sorry, freunde.

If this shot is ruled retired Germany would beryllium moving connected to the Round of 16 😱 pic.twitter.com/PcceKn0AIW

After the match: What the players and managers said

Muller: "If this was my past game, it was a immense pleasure. I've done it with love."

Flick: "I deliberation that successful the archetypal half, we weren't capable to person a wide result. We had tons of chances and attempts, but failed to instrumentality them. You person to instrumentality you chances and people goals, If we had, it would person been a antithetic story."

Key stats (provided by ESPN Stats & Information)

- Russia 2018 was the archetypal clip Germany had ever been eliminated successful the radical stage. Qatar 2022 marks the archetypal clip they've failed to scope the knockout rounds successful consecutive tournaments.

- With 232 goals, Germany present are level with Brazil for astir successful World Cup history.

- Germany had the highest expected goals (xG) astatine 10.0 and highest expected extremity differential (xGD) astatine plus-6.4 of immoderate squad astatine the World Cup.

Up next

Costa Rica: Los Ticos' World Cup is over, but they'll beryllium successful CONCACAF Nations League enactment arsenic the wintertime months end, traveling to Martinique connected March 25.

Germany: For the 2nd consecutive time, Germany are eliminated from the World Cup astatine the radical stage. Die Nationalmannschaft person nary upcoming fixtures scheduled.