What image damage: The DFB has done everything wrong that can be done wrong
Created: 2022-12-02 06:14
By: Hannes Niemeyer
Once again a major tournament for the German national soccer team ends early.
This time, however, the damage is undeniable not only in sporting terms, but also off the pitch.
A comment.
Munich – The journey of the German national team to the 2022 World Cup in Qatar lasted eleven days.
In the end there are three games, a win, a draw, a defeat - and a huge damage to the image of the German Football Association.
The DFB has done almost everything wrong that can be done wrong.
Germany debacle in the preliminary round: The DFB has done everything wrong that can be done wrong
Started by discussing the "One Love" pad.
Only announced pompously as a sign against the situation in the host country of this already highly questionable World Cup, the DFB backed down after threatened punishment by FIFA.
Even the supposedly courageous action by Interior Minister Nancy Faeser to sit next to FIFA boss Gianni Infantino with said bandage is invalidated by a bizarre photo of the two at the latest.
The "we won't be silenced" gesture before the Japan game?
Just a drop in the bucket, which cannot compensate for the weakness shown in the padding discussion.
Apart from all the political embarrassment, the sporting side also went awry – once again – and couldn’t even begin to make up for the political dimension.
Or did the second level of this World Cup even influence the performance of Hansi Flick's team?
Apparently it seemed that way anyway.
Such media attention, including criticism from the home country, should hardly leave professional athletes cold.
Disappointed faces on Kai Havertz (l.) and Niclas Füllkrug (r.): The image of the DFB has been badly damaged.
© IMAGO/Moritz Mueller
Binding scandal and sporting failure: What damage to the image of the DFB
Bond influence or not.
It doesn't matter whether you've done your "homework" with the 4-2 win against Costa Rica or not.
In this group, I would have been able to at least place second on my own and without Spanish help.
The result: The DFB is now threatened with even greater damage to its image than after the unpleasant group end at the 2018 World Cup or Jogi Löw's final in the 2021 European Championship round of 16. For the third time in a row, an early end in a major tournament, for the third time as a result, hardly knew how to really convince in a playful way - only this time in the discussions off the pitch rather failed than brilliant.
Home EM 2024 is coming: Flick has a lot to do – if he is allowed to stay as a coach
As always, the criticism from the home country will be tremendous – and rightly so.
If Hansi Flick is allowed to remain national coach, it will be hard work for him and the DFB leadership to bring the damaged image and football euphoria back to the next big tournament.
And that would be the home EM 2024 after all.
A comment by Hannes Niemeyer
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No Spanish help for Germany
Germany fails again: Thomas Müller hints at resignation after the World Cup
The foreign press also reacted to the DFB-Aus shortly after the final whistle.
