German opponents at the World Cup: The three question marks

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Hansi Flick and DFB director Oliver Bierhoff in the best of spirits – but that was before the draw

Photo: CARL RECINE / REUTERS

At least with the choice of the mascot, the organizers of this highly controversial football World Cup have set an appropriate sign.

La'eeb, it's called, and at first glance it looks like a ghost.

Which is quite appropriate, the circumstances surrounding the host Qatar are quite scary.

"Everyone is invited to interpret what it looks like," commented FIFA at the official presentation of the draw.

As far as this World Cup is concerned, there will still be plenty of room and time to interpret everything possible into this event, not just the mascot.

This draw evening also left room for interpretation in terms of sport.

Is this now a "good group, it could have been worse for us," as ARD co-commentator Bastian Schweinsteiger speculated after the lottery draw?

Or does the team of national coach Hansi Flick face a real challenge with the duels with Spain, Japan and Costa Rica or New Zealand?

Four years ago it seemed easy

Four years ago, this question was much easier to answer: Germany traveled to Russia as the defending champions.

The group opponents were Mexico, Sweden and South Korea.

What could possibly go wrong?

All.

At least on paper, the tasks at the upcoming World Cup are more demanding.

The experience of Kazan in the back, the early and embarrassing exit in 2018 against the South Koreans, can only be helpful.

This is an “exciting and interesting group”, commented Flick afterwards, this sentence belongs in the toolbox of every coach after a tournament draw.

And speaks more for the fact that the national coach does not really know what to think of these lots.

Memories of Seville

What else can be said about Spain, the most prominent opponents in Group E?

Coach Luis Enrique's team tore the DFB team down into its individual parts in a 6-0 win in Seville in November 2020, and that game marked the dawn of Joachim Löw.

After that it was clear that something fundamental had to change for the national team.

Ultimately, the Spaniards paved the way for Hansi Flick to become a national coach.

However, it is not to be expected that he would want to show his appreciation for it.

At the European Championships last year, the Spaniards were among the favorites, just as they always are among the favorites.

In the semifinals they lost to eventual champions Italy on penalties, that can happen.

However, the performance in the previous games against Croatia and Switzerland was not particularly convincing, both times the Spaniards needed penalties to advance.

Nevertheless: Luis Enrique is an experienced coach who can point to successes in the club and in the national team.

His team is balanced between veterans and young players.

In the meantime, there is even a player from Real Madrid in the squad again, with Dani Carvajal. There had been a lot of excitement in the run-up to the European Championship because Luis Enrique, the old hero of FC Barcelona, ​​had traveled to the tournament without a Real player.

Weakened in qualification

Before the Spanish is after the Japanese.

Japan are the first German group opponents on November 23, and Flick and his team should not make the mistake of thinking too much about Spain beforehand.

Japan is now taking part in a World Cup for the seventh time, four years ago the Japanese led 2-0 in the round of 16 against the eternal secret favorites Belgium, with only 20 minutes left to play before disaster struck them in the form of three Belgian goals.

Hajime Moriyasu then took over the team as head coach, qualifying for the World Cup was not without its problems.

There were defeats against Oman at home and in Saudi Arabia.

In the end, you managed to do it relatively safely, but the team seems a little weaker than four years ago.

One of those teams that crept out of the piñata at the World Cup.

It will probably be Costa Rica

There are even more question marks behind the third opponent, since the name is not yet certain.

Costa Rica and New Zealand will play fourth place in Group E in the play-offs in June.

However, the Central Americans are the clear favourites.

They narrowly missed direct qualification, level on points with the USA, defeating the winner of the qualification, Canada, but also suffering losses to Mexico and the USA.

New Zealand is the winner of the Oceania qualification.

In view of the opponents like New Caledonia, Tahiti, the Solomon Islands and Papua New Guinea, it was also a duty.

If you want to take a timid look at what might await the German team after the group stage, Belgium or Croatia could be opponents in the round of 16.

In the quarter-finals, Flick's eleven might then have to deal with Brazil.

Those are quite a lot to clear out of the way.

Spain, Japan, probably Costa Rica - progress is of course possible, but other favorite teams such as the Netherlands, Belgium and France have, at first glance, found easier tasks.

The specter of yet another early departure – it will have plenty of opportunity to haunt people's heads in the coming months.