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Matthias Sammer used to work for the DFB himself
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Christian Schaffrath / imago images / agency 54 degrees
This text is continuously updated.
Lineker praises "greatest World Cup group stage"
8.15 a.m .:
England football legend Gary Lineker feels well entertained by the preliminary round.
»The greatest group stage in the history of the World Cup comes to an end.
According to the current status, it cannot be repeated because the plan for 2026 stipulates that there will no longer be simultaneous games on the last day of the game, but 16 groups of three," wrote Lineker, who is a TV expert in Qatar, on Twitter.
Unlike the current World Cup, 48 teams are to compete in the USA, Mexico and Canada in four years.
In the recent past, the mode with eight groups of four had established itself.
Now switch to groups of three.
The mode has been criticized for the possibility of agreements, because one team is always left out on the last day of the game.
“I think they should reconsider.
Imagine how many groups two teams can reach in the last matchday with the same result,” commented Lineker.
According to a report by the "Guardian", however, the world association is considering a change in mode.
Then, comparable to the European Championship, there could be a system with twelve groups of four, in which some of the best third-placed teams could progress.
According to the current status, two teams from the groups of three would always reach the next round.
This would mean that the size of the old field of 32 teams would only be reached after 48 games.
From that point on, there would only be knockout games.
Sammer: Abolishing the sports director at the DFB was wrong
7.39 a.m .:
From the point of view of ex-functionary Matthias Sammer, the abolition of the position of sports director at the DFB was a mistake.
"A sports system without a superordinate sports director - that's the image of the German Football Association," said Sammer on Magenta TV and added: "I've made enough mistakes in my life.
But the mistake of abolishing this position, you have to come up with the idea first.«
Sammer himself worked in this capacity at the DFB between 2006 and 2012.
After the German national team lost the World Cup, the 55-year-old would like this position to be held again in the future.
"The fact is that this person is also somewhat responsible for the big guidelines," said Sammer: "A sports director sets the big lines and, in my opinion, they need a corrective every two years to make the right adjustments to the small screws direction."
Sammer named record national player Lothar Matthäus as a possible candidate.
Born in Saxony, he would also be willing to help the DFB in another capacity.
However, he would no longer fill all the posts himself, probably including that of sports director, said Borussia Dortmund's external advisor in a panel of experts.
No Christmas bonus for national players
7.30 a.m .:
Germany’s players missed out on a whopping Christmas bonus of up to 400,000 euros per man due to the preliminary round.
Captain Manuel Neuer, Thomas Müller, Joshua Kimmich and Ilkay Gündoğan had negotiated this record bonus with the DFB leadership around President Bernd Neuendorf in the event of winning the title in Qatar.
With 26 players, that would have cost the association a total of 10.4 million euros.
In addition, the bonuses for the coaching team led by Hansi Flick would have been unknown.
After the early knockout, the DFB players go away empty-handed.
In the event of success, however, completely different sums would have flowed into the DFB coffers.
Fifa is paying out the equivalent of around 440 million euros in prize money at this World Cup.
The world champion receives 42 million euros, the defeated finalist 30 million euros.
Third place is rewarded with 27 million euros, the loser of the match for third place gets 25 million euros.
Despite the 4:2 in the last group game against Costa Rica, just missing out on the round of 16 would have been rewarded with 13 million euros.
The DFB could have easily paid the player premiums from the Fifa funds.
For winning the group, they would each have received 50,000 euros.
The association would have rewarded participation in the quarter-finals with 100,000 euros, the semi-finals with 150,000 euros.
Third place would have brought in 200,000 euros, a lost final 250,000 euros.
The highest tournament bonus paid out is now 300,000 euros per player for the 2014 World Cup triumph in Brazil.
Xhaka's celebration in the Jashari jersey: "No political background"
7.23 a.m .:
The Swiss captain Granit Xhaka only wanted to make a friendly statement with his jubilation in the Jashari jersey.
"It had no political background whatsoever," the midfielder asserted after the 3-2 (2-2) win over Serbia.
Xhaka celebrated in front of the Swiss fans after the end of the game and donned a reversed jersey worn by teammate Ardon Jashari.
The 20-year-old's last name was clearly emblazoned on Xhaka's chest.
'He's a boy I respect very much.
We are together every day, spend a lot of time.
He wants to get a lot of tips from me.
I told him that if I score a goal, I'll put his jersey on after the game.
I did that for him,” said Xhaka after the game.
Like his team-mate Xherdan Shaqiri, the Swiss captain's family hails from Kosovo.
The republic has been independent since 2008, however, Serbia still considers it a part of its territory.
Because of this conflict, there was a big scandal during the World Cup game between Switzerland and Serbia four years ago, because Xhaka and Shaqiri celebrated their two goals in the 2-1 Swiss victory with a double-headed eagle gesture - a symbol of the Delimitation of Kosovo from Serbia.
Both were fined by Fifa at the time.
Yesterday's celebrations by Xhaka were occasionally interpreted as a political signal on social media.
The late Adem Jashari was the first commander of the former Kosovo Liberation Army (UCK).
Kosovo, a former part of the Republic of Serbia, declared its independence in 2008.
Most of the member states of the United Nations recognize this status - Serbia, on the other hand, regards Kosovo as an autonomous province of the state.
Neymar assignment still open
7:14 am:
Can he or can't he?
Hardly anything occupies the Brazilian supporters as much as superstar Neymar's injured ankles.
Its use in the round of 16 is still open.
"We still have 72 hours until the next game, we should use the time to our advantage," said team doctor Rodrigo Lasmar after the record world champion's 0-1 draw against Cameroon in the preliminary round.
Neymar, who has an ankle injury, "hasn't trained with the ball yet," said the doctor, "we'll try that tomorrow."
Then we'll know better what it looks like.« The 30-year-old suffered a ligament injury in his right ankle in the 2-0 win against Serbia at the start of the World Cup and missed both the 1-0 win against Switzerland and the final defeat against Cameroon.
In the round of 16, the opponent is South Korea on Monday.
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