{"id":16921,"date":"2026-07-06T04:07:55","date_gmt":"2026-07-05T22:37:55","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.zee5.com\/global\/blog\/?p=16921"},"modified":"2026-07-06T04:07:55","modified_gmt":"2026-07-05T22:37:55","slug":"germanys-exit-and-the-cracks-that-were-always-there","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.zee5.com\/global\/blog\/germanys-exit-and-the-cracks-that-were-always-there\/","title":{"rendered":"Germany&#8217;s Exit and the Cracks That Were Always There"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>Germany are out. Four-time World Champions, a squad packed with players from elite clubs across Europe, and a nation that expects deep runs at major tournaments \u2014 eliminated in the Round of 32 by Paraguay, on penalties, in a shootout that produced a first in German football history. They have never lost a World Cup penalty shootout before. They have now.<\/p><div id=\"ez-toc-container\" class=\"ez-toc-v2_0_73 counter-hierarchy ez-toc-counter ez-toc-black ez-toc-container-direction\">\n<div class=\"ez-toc-title-container\">\n<p class=\"ez-toc-title\" style=\"cursor:inherit\">Page Contents:<\/p>\n<span class=\"ez-toc-title-toggle\"><a href=\"#\" class=\"ez-toc-pull-right ez-toc-btn ez-toc-btn-xs ez-toc-btn-default ez-toc-toggle\" aria-label=\"Toggle Table of Content\"><span class=\"ez-toc-js-icon-con\"><span class=\"\"><span class=\"eztoc-hide\" style=\"display:none;\">Toggle<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-icon-toggle-span\"><svg style=\"fill: #282fff;color:#282fff\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" class=\"list-377408\" width=\"20px\" height=\"20px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" fill=\"none\"><path d=\"M6 6H4v2h2V6zm14 0H8v2h12V6zM4 11h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2zM4 16h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2z\" fill=\"currentColor\"><\/path><\/svg><svg style=\"fill: #282fff;color:#282fff\" class=\"arrow-unsorted-368013\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"10px\" height=\"10px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" version=\"1.2\" baseProfile=\"tiny\"><path d=\"M18.2 9.3l-6.2-6.3-6.2 6.3c-.2.2-.3.4-.3.7s.1.5.3.7c.2.2.4.3.7.3h11c.3 0 .5-.1.7-.3.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7zM5.8 14.7l6.2 6.3 6.2-6.3c.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7c-.2-.2-.4-.3-.7-.3h-11c-.3 0-.5.1-.7.3-.2.2-.3.5-.3.7s.1.5.3.7z\"\/><\/svg><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/a><\/span><\/div>\n<nav><ul class='ez-toc-list ez-toc-list-level-1 ' ><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-1\" href=\"https:\/\/www.zee5.com\/global\/blog\/germanys-exit-and-the-cracks-that-were-always-there\/#Curacao_%E2%80%94_Encouraging_But_With_an_Asterisk\" title=\"Cura\u00e7ao \u2014 Encouraging, But With an Asterisk\">Cura\u00e7ao \u2014 Encouraging, But With an Asterisk<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-2\" href=\"https:\/\/www.zee5.com\/global\/blog\/germanys-exit-and-the-cracks-that-were-always-there\/#Ivory_Coast_%E2%80%94_The_First_Warning\" title=\"Ivory Coast \u2014 The First Warning\">Ivory Coast \u2014 The First Warning<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-3\" href=\"https:\/\/www.zee5.com\/global\/blog\/germanys-exit-and-the-cracks-that-were-always-there\/#Ecuador_%E2%80%94_The_Loss_That_Clarified_Everything\" title=\"Ecuador \u2014 The Loss That Clarified Everything\">Ecuador \u2014 The Loss That Clarified Everything<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-4\" href=\"https:\/\/www.zee5.com\/global\/blog\/germanys-exit-and-the-cracks-that-were-always-there\/#Paraguay_%E2%80%94_How_They_Did_It\" title=\"Paraguay \u2014 How They Did It\">Paraguay \u2014 How They Did It<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-5\" href=\"https:\/\/www.zee5.com\/global\/blog\/germanys-exit-and-the-cracks-that-were-always-there\/#Three_Consecutive_Disappointing_World_Cups\" title=\"Three Consecutive Disappointing World Cups\">Three Consecutive Disappointing World Cups<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/nav><\/div>\n\n<p>But here is the thing: if you watched Germany&#8217;s group stage, you could see this coming. The Paraguay loss was not a shock. It was a conclusion.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>Every upset, every exit, every triumph \u2014 all of <a href=\"https:\/\/www.zee5.com\/sports\/football\/fifa-world-cup\/2026\">FIFA World Cup 2026\u2122<\/a> is live on ZEE 5. Get the ZEE 5 FIFA Subscription Quarterly Plan at \u20b9799 and don&#8217;t miss a moment.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Curacao_%E2%80%94_Encouraging_But_With_an_Asterisk\"><\/span><b>Cura\u00e7ao \u2014 Encouraging, But With an Asterisk<\/b><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>Germany&#8217;s opening match against Cura\u00e7ao \u2014 playing their first-ever World Cup match against a four-time champion \u2014 produced a comfortable enough result. But Cura\u00e7ao were debutants facing a footballing giant on the biggest stage they had ever seen. Germany were expected to win convincingly. They did, and the performance looked solid. The problem was that the next two matches would reveal whether that solidity was real or simply the product of an overwhelmed opponent.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Watch <a href=\"https:\/\/www.zee5.com\/sports\/football\/fifa-world-cup\/2026\/match-clips\/0-6-4z5974253\/aus-vs-tur-quickfire-highlights-fifa-world-cup-2026\/0-1-6z5988171?utm_source=GoogleOneBox&amp;utm_medium=GoogleSearch&amp;utm_campaign=OneBox_quick_fire_highlight\">Germany vs Cura\u00e7ao Match Highlight<\/a> Free Only On ZEE5.<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Ivory_Coast_%E2%80%94_The_First_Warning\"><\/span><b>Ivory Coast \u2014 The First Warning<\/b><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>Against Ivory Coast, Germany looked fragile. A squad with that much talent \u2014 young players performing week after week at the highest club level \u2014 should have controlled that match. Instead, Germany were trailing at one point and needed a 68th-minute equaliser before finding a 90+4th-minute winner to scrape through. They won. But wins that arrive in that manner tell you something about the structural problems underneath.<\/p>\n<p>Germany were not dominating space the way a team with their resources should. Transitions were slow. When they went behind, the response was laboured rather than immediate. The clinical finishing that German teams have been known for throughout history was absent.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Watch <a href=\"https:\/\/www.zee5.com\/sports\/football\/fifa-world-cup\/2026\/match-clips\/0-6-4z5974253\/ger-vs-civ-quickfire-highlights-fifa-world-cup-2026\/0-1-6z5989371\">Germany vs Ivory Coast Match Highlight<\/a> Free Only On ZEE5.<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Ecuador_%E2%80%94_The_Loss_That_Clarified_Everything\"><\/span><b>Ecuador \u2014 The Loss That Clarified Everything<\/b><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>Then they lost to Ecuador. Ecuador are not a weak team \u2014 their performances in this tournament have shown genuine quality. But Germany, with all their European pedigree, should have been capable of finding a result. They could not. The loss confirmed what the Ivory Coast match had hinted at: this Germany side had a difficult path ahead, and if they could not fix their gaps before meeting a genuinely top-quality opponent, elimination was a real possibility.<\/p>\n<p>The assumption after that loss was that the Round of 32 draw \u2014 against Paraguay \u2014 might offer Germany a chance to reorganize. A manageable opponent. Time to correct the mistakes before the real tests arrive.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Watch <a href=\"https:\/\/www.zee5.com\/sports\/football\/fifa-world-cup\/2026\/match-clips\/0-6-4z5974253\/ecu-vs-ger-quickfire-highlights-fifa-world-cup-2026\/0-1-6z5990783?utm_source=GoogleOneBox&amp;utm_medium=GoogleSearch&amp;utm_campaign=OneBox_quick_fire_highlight\">Germany vs Ecuador Match Highlight<\/a> Free Only On ZEE5.<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Paraguay_%E2%80%94_How_They_Did_It\"><\/span><b>Paraguay \u2014 How They Did It<\/b><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>Paraguay did not wait for Germany to find their form. They scored before half-time and set about defending that lead with the same disciplined, structured approach they would later deploy against France. Germany pressed. Kai Havertz equalised in the 54th minute. Germany pushed for a winner. Jonathan Tah had a goal disallowed by VAR. A decision that has been and will be debated at length for years to come. The match went to extra time, then to a penalty shootout.<\/p>\n<p>The shootout produced history of the worst kind for German football. They had never lost a World Cup penalty shootout. Not in 1990. Not in 2006. Not in any of the four times they lifted the trophy. Germany and penalties had always been a source of dread for opponents, not for themselves.<\/p>\n<p>Jonathan Tah stepped up in sudden death and sent his shot over the crossbar. Jos\u00e9 Canale scored for Paraguay. Germany were out.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Watch <a href=\"https:\/\/www.zee5.com\/sports\/football\/fifa-world-cup\/2026\/match-clips\/0-6-4z5974253\/ger-vs-par-quickfire-highlights-fifa-world-cup-2026\/0-1-6z5994753?utm_source=GoogleOneBox&amp;utm_medium=GoogleSearch&amp;utm_campaign=OneBox_quick_fire_highlight\">Germany vs Paraguay Match Highlight <\/a>Free Only On ZEE5.<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Three_Consecutive_Disappointing_World_Cups\"><\/span><b>Three Consecutive Disappointing World Cups<\/b><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>This is now three consecutive FIFA World Cups where Germany have exited far earlier than their squad quality suggested they should. The 2018 group stage exit. The 2022 group stage exit. Now the Round of 32 in 2026. A pattern is not an accident. It is a structural problem.<\/p>\n<p>The young talent is real. The players are good. But something in the collective \u2014 the system, the mentality under pressure, the inability to dominate matches they should control \u2014 keeps producing the same outcome. Germany&#8217;s next rebuild will need to answer harder questions than simply finding the next generation of talented young players. Those players are already there.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><i>Follow every twist of FIFA World Cup 2026\u2122 on ZEE 5 \u2014 India&#8217;s official home of the World Cup. Stream live from anywhere in India.<\/i><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><i>Disclaimer: Subscription pack prices are subject to change from time to time. Please visit the subscription page for the most up-to-date pricing information.<\/i><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Germany are out. Four-time World Champions, a squad packed with players from elite clubs across Europe, and a nation that expects deep runs at major tournaments \u2014 eliminated in the Round of 32 by Paraguay, on penalties, in a shootout that produced a first in German football history. They have never lost a World Cup [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":25,"featured_media":14976,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"ub_ctt_via":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[3019],"tags":[3031,3034],"class_list":["post-16921","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-fifa-world-cup-2026","tag-fifa-world-cup-2026","tag-germany-football-team"],"acf":[],"featured_image_src":"https:\/\/www.zee5.com\/global\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/1132x400-4.jpg","author_info":{"display_name":"Sourav K","author_link":"https:\/\/www.zee5.com\/global\/blog\/author\/sourav-k\/"},"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v26.9 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>Germany&#039;s Exit and the Cracks That Were Always There<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Germany FIFA 2026\u2122 exit\u2014How Paraguay ended Germany&#039;s World Cup campaign.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.zee5.com\/global\/blog\/germanys-exit-and-the-cracks-that-were-always-there\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Germany&#039;s Exit and the Cracks That Were Always There\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Germany FIFA 2026\u2122 exit\u2014How Paraguay ended Germany&#039;s World Cup campaign.\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/www.zee5.com\/global\/blog\/germanys-exit-and-the-cracks-that-were-always-there\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"ZEE5 Blog\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:publisher\" content=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/ZEE5India\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2026-07-05T22:37:55+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/www.zee5.com\/global\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/1132x400-4.jpg\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"1132\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"400\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:type\" content=\"image\/jpeg\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"Sourav K\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:creator\" content=\"@ZEE5India\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:site\" content=\"@ZEE5India\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"Sourav K\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"4 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\/\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"Article\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.zee5.com\/global\/blog\/germanys-exit-and-the-cracks-that-were-always-there\/#article\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.zee5.com\/global\/blog\/germanys-exit-and-the-cracks-that-were-always-there\/\"},\"author\":{\"name\":\"Sourav K\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.zee5.com\/global\/blog\/#\/schema\/person\/b7f51287e926eac1996d50ea278b7033\"},\"headline\":\"Germany&#8217;s Exit and the Cracks That Were Always There\",\"datePublished\":\"2026-07-05T22:37:55+00:00\",\"mainEntityOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.zee5.com\/global\/blog\/germanys-exit-and-the-cracks-that-were-always-there\/\"},\"wordCount\":795,\"publisher\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.zee5.com\/global\/blog\/#organization\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.zee5.com\/global\/blog\/germanys-exit-and-the-cracks-that-were-always-there\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\/\/www.zee5.com\/global\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/1132x400-4.jpg\",\"keywords\":[\"FIFA World cup 2026\",\"Germany Football Team\"],\"articleSection\":[\"FIFA World Cup 2026\"],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.zee5.com\/global\/blog\/germanys-exit-and-the-cracks-that-were-always-there\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.zee5.com\/global\/blog\/germanys-exit-and-the-cracks-that-were-always-there\/\",\"name\":\"Germany's Exit and the Cracks That Were Always There\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.zee5.com\/global\/blog\/#website\"},\"primaryImageOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.zee5.com\/global\/blog\/germanys-exit-and-the-cracks-that-were-always-there\/#primaryimage\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.zee5.com\/global\/blog\/germanys-exit-and-the-cracks-that-were-always-there\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\/\/www.zee5.com\/global\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/1132x400-4.jpg\",\"datePublished\":\"2026-07-05T22:37:55+00:00\",\"description\":\"Germany FIFA 2026\u2122 exit\u2014How Paraguay ended Germany's World Cup campaign.\",\"breadcrumb\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.zee5.com\/global\/blog\/germanys-exit-and-the-cracks-that-were-always-there\/#breadcrumb\"},\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"ReadAction\",\"target\":[\"https:\/\/www.zee5.com\/global\/blog\/germanys-exit-and-the-cracks-that-were-always-there\/\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.zee5.com\/global\/blog\/germanys-exit-and-the-cracks-that-were-always-there\/#primaryimage\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.zee5.com\/global\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/1132x400-4.jpg\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\/\/www.zee5.com\/global\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/1132x400-4.jpg\",\"width\":1132,\"height\":400,\"caption\":\"FIFA subscription\"},{\"@type\":\"BreadcrumbList\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.zee5.com\/global\/blog\/germanys-exit-and-the-cracks-that-were-always-there\/#breadcrumb\",\"itemListElement\":[{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":1,\"name\":\"Home\",\"item\":\"https:\/\/www.zee5.com\/global\/blog\/\"},{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":2,\"name\":\"FIFA World Cup 2026\",\"item\":\"https:\/\/www.zee5.com\/global\/blog\/category\/fifa-world-cup-2026\/\"},{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":3,\"name\":\"Germany&#8217;s Exit and the Cracks That Were Always There\"}]},{\"@type\":\"WebSite\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.zee5.com\/global\/blog\/#website\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.zee5.com\/global\/blog\/\",\"name\":\"ZEE5 Blog\",\"description\":\"\",\"publisher\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.zee5.com\/global\/blog\/#organization\"},\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"SearchAction\",\"target\":{\"@type\":\"EntryPoint\",\"urlTemplate\":\"https:\/\/www.zee5.com\/global\/blog\/?s={search_term_string}\"},\"query-input\":{\"@type\":\"PropertyValueSpecification\",\"valueRequired\":true,\"valueName\":\"search_term_string\"}}],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},{\"@type\":\"Organization\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.zee5.com\/global\/blog\/#organization\",\"name\":\"ZEE5\",\"alternateName\":\"Zee Entertainment Enterprises\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.zee5.com\/global\/blog\/\",\"logo\":{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.zee5.com\/global\/blog\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.zee5.com\/global\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/Appicon_Z5Global_512x512.png\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\/\/www.zee5.com\/global\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/Appicon_Z5Global_512x512.png\",\"width\":512,\"height\":512,\"caption\":\"ZEE5\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.zee5.com\/global\/blog\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/\"},\"sameAs\":[\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/ZEE5India\/\",\"https:\/\/x.com\/ZEE5India\",\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/channel\/UCXOgAl4w-FQero1ERbGHpXQ\"]},{\"@type\":\"Person\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.zee5.com\/global\/blog\/#\/schema\/person\/b7f51287e926eac1996d50ea278b7033\",\"name\":\"Sourav K\",\"image\":{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.zee5.com\/global\/blog\/#\/schema\/person\/image\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/6e67504e85eace1cfa60dcd37f6d3ebfe062cd8f24a419171fff86280ffae669?s=96&d=mm&r=g\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/6e67504e85eace1cfa60dcd37f6d3ebfe062cd8f24a419171fff86280ffae669?s=96&d=mm&r=g\",\"caption\":\"Sourav K\"},\"description\":\"With over 10 years of experience in sports journalism, Sourav is a passionate football writer who has been closely following the game since the 2002 FIFA World Cup. What began as a childhood fascination with football has evolved into a lifelong commitment to understanding and analysing the sport at every level. As both an ardent fan and a former football player, Sourav brings a unique perspective to his writing. He blends firsthand playing experience with in-depth statistical analysis. Having witnessed the rise and fall of footballing dynasties across multiple FIFA World Cups, UEFA Champions League campaigns, Premier League seasons, and international tournaments, he offers readers insightful, balanced, and engaging coverage of the beautiful game. His work is driven by a desire to make football analysis accessible to everyone, right from casual followers looking to stay informed to passionate supporters seeking deeper tactical insights.\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.zee5.com\/global\/blog\/author\/sourav-k\/\"}]}<\/script>\n<!-- \/ Yoast SEO plugin. -->","yoast_head_json":{"title":"Germany's Exit and the Cracks That Were Always There","description":"Germany FIFA 2026\u2122 exit\u2014How Paraguay ended Germany's World Cup campaign.","robots":{"index":"index","follow":"follow","max-snippet":"max-snippet:-1","max-image-preview":"max-image-preview:large","max-video-preview":"max-video-preview:-1"},"canonical":"https:\/\/www.zee5.com\/global\/blog\/germanys-exit-and-the-cracks-that-were-always-there\/","og_locale":"en_US","og_type":"article","og_title":"Germany's Exit and the Cracks That Were Always There","og_description":"Germany FIFA 2026\u2122 exit\u2014How Paraguay ended Germany's World Cup campaign.","og_url":"https:\/\/www.zee5.com\/global\/blog\/germanys-exit-and-the-cracks-that-were-always-there\/","og_site_name":"ZEE5 Blog","article_publisher":"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/ZEE5India\/","article_published_time":"2026-07-05T22:37:55+00:00","og_image":[{"width":1132,"height":400,"url":"https:\/\/www.zee5.com\/global\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/1132x400-4.jpg","type":"image\/jpeg"}],"author":"Sourav K","twitter_card":"summary_large_image","twitter_creator":"@ZEE5India","twitter_site":"@ZEE5India","twitter_misc":{"Written by":"Sourav K","Est. reading time":"4 minutes"},"schema":{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org","@graph":[{"@type":"Article","@id":"https:\/\/www.zee5.com\/global\/blog\/germanys-exit-and-the-cracks-that-were-always-there\/#article","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.zee5.com\/global\/blog\/germanys-exit-and-the-cracks-that-were-always-there\/"},"author":{"name":"Sourav K","@id":"https:\/\/www.zee5.com\/global\/blog\/#\/schema\/person\/b7f51287e926eac1996d50ea278b7033"},"headline":"Germany&#8217;s Exit and the Cracks That Were Always There","datePublished":"2026-07-05T22:37:55+00:00","mainEntityOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.zee5.com\/global\/blog\/germanys-exit-and-the-cracks-that-were-always-there\/"},"wordCount":795,"publisher":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.zee5.com\/global\/blog\/#organization"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.zee5.com\/global\/blog\/germanys-exit-and-the-cracks-that-were-always-there\/#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/www.zee5.com\/global\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/1132x400-4.jpg","keywords":["FIFA World cup 2026","Germany Football Team"],"articleSection":["FIFA World Cup 2026"],"inLanguage":"en-US"},{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https:\/\/www.zee5.com\/global\/blog\/germanys-exit-and-the-cracks-that-were-always-there\/","url":"https:\/\/www.zee5.com\/global\/blog\/germanys-exit-and-the-cracks-that-were-always-there\/","name":"Germany's Exit and the Cracks That Were Always There","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.zee5.com\/global\/blog\/#website"},"primaryImageOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.zee5.com\/global\/blog\/germanys-exit-and-the-cracks-that-were-always-there\/#primaryimage"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.zee5.com\/global\/blog\/germanys-exit-and-the-cracks-that-were-always-there\/#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/www.zee5.com\/global\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/1132x400-4.jpg","datePublished":"2026-07-05T22:37:55+00:00","description":"Germany FIFA 2026\u2122 exit\u2014How Paraguay ended Germany's World Cup campaign.","breadcrumb":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.zee5.com\/global\/blog\/germanys-exit-and-the-cracks-that-were-always-there\/#breadcrumb"},"inLanguage":"en-US","potentialAction":[{"@type":"ReadAction","target":["https:\/\/www.zee5.com\/global\/blog\/germanys-exit-and-the-cracks-that-were-always-there\/"]}]},{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/www.zee5.com\/global\/blog\/germanys-exit-and-the-cracks-that-were-always-there\/#primaryimage","url":"https:\/\/www.zee5.com\/global\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/1132x400-4.jpg","contentUrl":"https:\/\/www.zee5.com\/global\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/1132x400-4.jpg","width":1132,"height":400,"caption":"FIFA subscription"},{"@type":"BreadcrumbList","@id":"https:\/\/www.zee5.com\/global\/blog\/germanys-exit-and-the-cracks-that-were-always-there\/#breadcrumb","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"Home","item":"https:\/\/www.zee5.com\/global\/blog\/"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"FIFA World Cup 2026","item":"https:\/\/www.zee5.com\/global\/blog\/category\/fifa-world-cup-2026\/"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":3,"name":"Germany&#8217;s Exit and the Cracks That Were Always There"}]},{"@type":"WebSite","@id":"https:\/\/www.zee5.com\/global\/blog\/#website","url":"https:\/\/www.zee5.com\/global\/blog\/","name":"ZEE5 Blog","description":"","publisher":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.zee5.com\/global\/blog\/#organization"},"potentialAction":[{"@type":"SearchAction","target":{"@type":"EntryPoint","urlTemplate":"https:\/\/www.zee5.com\/global\/blog\/?s={search_term_string}"},"query-input":{"@type":"PropertyValueSpecification","valueRequired":true,"valueName":"search_term_string"}}],"inLanguage":"en-US"},{"@type":"Organization","@id":"https:\/\/www.zee5.com\/global\/blog\/#organization","name":"ZEE5","alternateName":"Zee Entertainment Enterprises","url":"https:\/\/www.zee5.com\/global\/blog\/","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/www.zee5.com\/global\/blog\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/","url":"https:\/\/www.zee5.com\/global\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/Appicon_Z5Global_512x512.png","contentUrl":"https:\/\/www.zee5.com\/global\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/Appicon_Z5Global_512x512.png","width":512,"height":512,"caption":"ZEE5"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.zee5.com\/global\/blog\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/"},"sameAs":["https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/ZEE5India\/","https:\/\/x.com\/ZEE5India","https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/channel\/UCXOgAl4w-FQero1ERbGHpXQ"]},{"@type":"Person","@id":"https:\/\/www.zee5.com\/global\/blog\/#\/schema\/person\/b7f51287e926eac1996d50ea278b7033","name":"Sourav K","image":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/www.zee5.com\/global\/blog\/#\/schema\/person\/image\/","url":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/6e67504e85eace1cfa60dcd37f6d3ebfe062cd8f24a419171fff86280ffae669?s=96&d=mm&r=g","contentUrl":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/6e67504e85eace1cfa60dcd37f6d3ebfe062cd8f24a419171fff86280ffae669?s=96&d=mm&r=g","caption":"Sourav K"},"description":"With over 10 years of experience in sports journalism, Sourav is a passionate football writer who has been closely following the game since the 2002 FIFA World Cup. What began as a childhood fascination with football has evolved into a lifelong commitment to understanding and analysing the sport at every level. As both an ardent fan and a former football player, Sourav brings a unique perspective to his writing. He blends firsthand playing experience with in-depth statistical analysis. Having witnessed the rise and fall of footballing dynasties across multiple FIFA World Cups, UEFA Champions League campaigns, Premier League seasons, and international tournaments, he offers readers insightful, balanced, and engaging coverage of the beautiful game. His work is driven by a desire to make football analysis accessible to everyone, right from casual followers looking to stay informed to passionate supporters seeking deeper tactical insights.","url":"https:\/\/www.zee5.com\/global\/blog\/author\/sourav-k\/"}]}},"blog_post_layout_featured_media_urls":{"thumbnail":["https:\/\/www.zee5.com\/global\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/1132x400-4.jpg",150,53,false],"full":["https:\/\/www.zee5.com\/global\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/1132x400-4.jpg",1132,400,false]},"categories_names":{"3019":{"name":"FIFA World Cup 2026","link":"https:\/\/www.zee5.com\/global\/blog\/category\/fifa-world-cup-2026\/"}},"tags_names":{"3031":{"name":"FIFA World cup 2026","link":"https:\/\/www.zee5.com\/global\/blog\/tag\/fifa-world-cup-2026\/"},"3034":{"name":"Germany Football Team","link":"https:\/\/www.zee5.com\/global\/blog\/tag\/germany-football-team\/"}},"comments_number":"0","wpmagazine_modules_lite_featured_media_urls":{"thumbnail":["https:\/\/www.zee5.com\/global\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/1132x400-4.jpg",150,53,false],"cvmm-medium":["https:\/\/www.zee5.com\/global\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/1132x400-4.jpg",300,106,false],"cvmm-medium-plus":["https:\/\/www.zee5.com\/global\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/1132x400-4.jpg",305,108,false],"cvmm-portrait":["https:\/\/www.zee5.com\/global\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/1132x400-4.jpg",400,141,false],"cvmm-medium-square":["https:\/\/www.zee5.com\/global\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/1132x400-4.jpg",600,212,false],"cvmm-large":["https:\/\/www.zee5.com\/global\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/1132x400-4.jpg",1024,362,false],"cvmm-small":["https:\/\/www.zee5.com\/global\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/1132x400-4.jpg",130,46,false],"full":["https:\/\/www.zee5.com\/global\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/1132x400-4.jpg",1132,400,false]},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.zee5.com\/global\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/16921","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.zee5.com\/global\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.zee5.com\/global\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.zee5.com\/global\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/25"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.zee5.com\/global\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=16921"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/www.zee5.com\/global\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/16921\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":16922,"href":"https:\/\/www.zee5.com\/global\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/16921\/revisions\/16922"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.zee5.com\/global\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/14976"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.zee5.com\/global\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=16921"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.zee5.com\/global\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=16921"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.zee5.com\/global\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=16921"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}