"I'm afraid of falling into a hole": Detached Kimmich fights back tears

Created: 02/12/2022, 11:40 am

By: Sascha Mehr

Joshua Kimmich.

© IMAGO/Frank Hoermann/SVEN SIMON

Germany was eliminated in the preliminary round of the World Cup.

Joshua Kimmich gives an emotional interview after the game against Costa Rica.

Qatar - Germany was eliminated in the preliminary round at the World Cup in Qatar.

Once again.

As early as 2018 in Russia, the DFB selection did not get past the group stage and had to watch in the knockout phase.

The images after the final whistle of the game against Costa Rica, which was won 4-2, are the same as four years ago.

At that time they lost completely surprisingly to South Korea.

This time you are powerless, because Japan wins against Spain at the same time and bowls the German team out of the competition.

Gnabry on leaving the 2022 World Cup: "It's our own fault"

"It's our own fault," says an extremely disappointed Serge Gnabry, who scored 1-0 against Costa Rica.

"We didn't expect the result that Spain did.

But we have to take care of ourselves.

With quality like that, we can't lose against Japan.

The game against Japan ruined everything,” Kai Havertz looks back on the opening game, which was lost despite the lead.

In the end it was this game that was fatal for the DFB selection.

Several DFB players don't want to say anything after the World Cup, but Joshua Kimmich faces the journalists in the mixed zone and lets his emotions run free: "I'm a bit afraid of falling into a hole.

For me, today is the most difficult day of my career.

I joined the national team in 2016.

Before that, Germany was always in the semifinals.

Then we're eliminated twice in the preliminary round and last year in the round of 16.

It's not so easy to cope with because I'm personally associated with the failure.

You don't want to stand for that."

World Cup 2022: Kimmich fights back tears

The top performer and leading player of the German national team fights back tears and is completely depressed.

Even with him as the leader, the DFB selection has not managed to get past the round of 16 in three tournaments in a row - this is the second time in a row that they have been eliminated from the group stage at a World Cup.

It's unclear how things will continue with the national team.

Football World Cup 2022 in Qatar: All stadiums at a glance

View photo gallery

Hansi Flick and Oliver Bierhoff would like to continue, as they say shortly after leaving, with the goal of EM 2024 in their own country.

"I enjoy it.

We have a good team," said Flick, who, however, did not manage to form a team that can consistently play good and successful football.

Both have to face the analysis and take responsibility for the failure - personnel changes are not completely ruled out.

"Unfortunately I have no arguments with three bad tournaments that I could use against that," says Bierhoff realistically, before now turbulent days and weeks will come to those responsible for the national team and the DFB.

Meanwhile, Bastian Schweinsteiger criticized the attitude of the DFB-Elf after the World Cup.

Hansi Flick cannot understand that and exchanges blows briefly.

As an expert from Magenta TV, Michael Ballack does not leave a good hair on the DFB team.

(smr)