BEST FB KL: The "Usual "German Team Just Didn't Show Up for this tournament. The German's could not even carve out a decent attack and kept giving the ball away outside the South Korean penalty area. When they had the ball the German team seem to move up in slow motion.Why didn't Joachim Loew stick to the team that played late in the game against Sweden that show glimpses of the true German team. The coach has to take the blame for the poor performance of the German team.
Holders Germany crash OUT of the World Cup as they LOSE to South Korea in their earliest exit for 80 years meaning Mexico and Sweden go through in stunning finish to Group F
- Germany are out of the World Cup in the first round for the first time since 1938 after losing to South Korea
- They finish with three points and bottom of Group F after being beaten 2-0 in the final match in Kazan
- Germany were world champions in 2014 but played poorly in Russia and were in tears at the final whistle
- Sweden's victory over Mexico meant Germany needed to win, and they missed several good chances
- However Kim-Young Gwon scored the 90th minute opener from a corner after VAR overruled an offside call
- With every German committed forwards, Son Heung-Min raced onto a cleared corner to score the second
The unthinkable has happened - Germany, reigning world champions, the consummate tournament team, are out of the World Cup at the group stage.
Their failure to beat South Korea on Wednesday afternoon, combined with Sweden's comfortable win over Mexico, saw Joachim Low's men fall at the first hurdle in Russia - their first World Cup elimination at this point for 80 years.
Sweden won the group by beating Mexico 3-0 in the other match taking place at the same time, meaning Germany needed to defeat South Korea to get through in second place.
The unthinkable has happened - Germany are out of the World Cup at the group stage after losing 2-0 to South Korea
It is the first time Germany have fallen at the first hurdle of a World Cup since 1938 as they finished with just three points
Germany were expected to progress with ease from a group featuring Mexico, South Korea and Sweden but finished last
Germany captain Manuel Neuer looks dejected, four years after he lifted the World Cup trophy in Rio De Janeiro
South Korea won 2-0 with two late goals in a game Germany needed to win to progress - Mario Gomez is pictured
The German players - world champions in 2014 - are left disconsolate at the final whistle after finishing bottom of Group F
There were tears on the pitch for the Germany players at the final whistle in Kazan - pictured is a dejected Thomas Muller
It was double dejection as Korea were also eliminated despite the possibility of progressing - not before taking out Germany
Sebastian Rudy of Germany attempts to console team mate Mario Gomez after the final whistle went in their defeat
Germany would have progressed with a win at the Kazan Arena but barely looked capable of scoring against the Koreans, let alone going on to successfully defend the title they won in Brazil four years ago.
South Korea won 2-0 thanks to two goals in second half stoppage time as Germany desperately pushed forwards to try and find a winner.
Kim-Young Gwon tapped in from close range when an error by Toni Kroos played him onside, with the goal eventually awarded by VAR.
There was drama as the football world waited to see if the goal was good, but VAR showed the Korean corner had been touched into Gwon's path by the boot of Kroos, overruling the linesman's flag.
Tottenham forward Son-Heung Min then slotted into an empty goal after chasing down a long punt, with Germany goalkeeper Manuel Neuer having raced up the field to try and get on the end of a corner.
Germany had earlier missed several great chances to score, Timo Werner firing wide and Mats Hummels heading wide from six yards.
'This is a very, very bitter evening for us, for German football and for all Germany fans,' said Hummels after the game. He later posted a crying emoji and a one-word tweet: 'Sorry'.
After the game, Germany manager Joachim Low - who has a contract until 2022 but may walk away after this disappointment - admitted they deserved to be knocked out in the first round of a World Cup for the first time since 1938.
'We did have a plan, we just didn't implement it,' said Low. 'We had a lot of chances, but we weren't clinical. We weren't at ease with ourselves.
'The disappointment is huge for me personally. We need a few hours, and then we need to have a discussion tomorrow.'
Kim-Young Gwon tapped in from close range when an error by Toni Kroos played him onside to make it 1-0 on 90 minutes
The goal was initially given offside, but a VAR review showed that Kroos had deflected the Korean corner to Gwon
The referee gives the opening Korean goal to spark celebrations and widespread disbelief from the world of football
Tottenham forward Son-Heung Min then slotted into an empty goal after chasing down a long punt to send Germany home
Goalkeeper and captain Manuel Neuer was the most scathing of all: 'We deserved to be eliminated. We didn't convince in any game. This was not the Germany we know. It was pathetic.
'We lacked commitment. Even if we had gone through, in the next round or the round afterwards, we'd have been knocked out.'
There were tears on the pitch from the Germany players at the final whistle, while in Ekaterinburg the Mexican and Swedish fans partied together.
Fans in Mexico City swarmed the South Korean embassy to celebrate - had Korea not won, Germany would have gone through in place of the Mexicans.
Many other football fans reacted with glee to the news, posting memes to Twitter with a German farewell of 'Auf Wiedersehen', while the official national team account admitted they were 'speechless'.
Chancellor Angela Merkel's spokesman shared the shock of a nation over Germany's stunning World Cup exit. 'Not our World Cup - How sad! There will be other tournaments where we can cheer again,' Steffen Seibert wrote.
Lothar Matthaus, who lifted the World Cup with West Germany in the 1990 World Cup, wrote on Twitter: 'This is a very sad afternoon.'
Former England striker Alan Shearer laid into the lacklustre German side. Speaking as a pundit on the BBC, he said: 'I can believe it after what I have seen in the last three games from them because they have been slow, leggy, no energy, no desire - and today they did not have a Plan A, never mind a Plan B, so they deserve to go out.
'South Korea were absolutely magnificent and thoroughly deserved that win - but Germany, all over the place. I was amazed at the lack of hunger this team showed.'
One German fan is unable to stop the tears after South Korea score their second goal to confirm Germany's elimination
Two supporters are unable to face the reality of an unexpected Germany exit in the opening round of the tournament
A German fan takes in the aftermath of their defeat - while a Korean fan looks much more upbeat despite their exit
There were also tears and supportive embraces at a public viewing area at Brandenburg Gate in Berlin, where fans watched
A supporter is unable to stop the tears as she watched Germany go out in the groups for the first time since Euro 2000
Other German fans were angry, accusing their side of having no courage and deserving of being eliminated so early
Mexico fans meanwhile celebrated with South Koreans - had Korea not won, Mexico would have been eliminated
In Mexico City, the South Korean flag was celebrated after their victory sent Sweden and Mexico through and Germany home
A South Korean supporter is carried aloft by Mexican fans, with the Swedish flag also prominent after their win
Football-mad Germany was plunged into mourning and the newspapers were furious. 'A historic disgrace,' Der Spiegel called it.
At the fan zone by Berlin's Brandenburg Gate, supporters had begun leaving even before the final whistle blew. 'These aren't world champions, they didn't fight at all,' fumed 27-year-old Oliver Fischer, wearing a Germany jersey. 'We absolutely deserved to be out. We had no fight, no courage, no ideas!'
Fans in the stadium in Russia were angry too - some were seen clashing with Arsenal midfielder Mesut Ozil, shouting and gesturing. Ozil had to be restrained by a member of the Germany backroom staff as he tried to respond.
England fans, who have suffered so long at the hands of Germany in major tournaments, were quick to celebrate the German exit. One fan posted a picture of Dele Alli waving goodbye, with the caption 'Dear Germany, Love England'.
Mexico will now play the winner of Group E - Brazil, Serbia or Switzerland - while Sweden will take on whoever comes second; and the Germans will now simply have to pack their bags.
Some fans were seen clashing with Arsenal midfielder Mesut Ozil, who had to be restrained by a Germany coach
'Speechless': How the German national team's English language Twitter page reacted to their World Cup elimination
Mats Hummels, who missed a golden scoring chance for Germany, later sent a short message of apology on Twitter
England fans meanwhile were thoroughly enjoying themselves, one tweeting a GIF of Dele Alli waving Germany off
Mail Online editor-at-large Piers Morgan meanwhile used a clever pun to illustrate his delight at the German departure
With England now officially outlasting Germany at the World Cup, there was delight for many supporters on social media
England have already qualified for the last 16 in Russia with two wins in two - Germany only managed one from three
England manager Gareth Southgate was holding a press conference at the same time as Germany were being dumped out of the finals. 'Of course I am surprised,' he said of both the defeat and the fact that the Germans are heading home after the group stage.
'I was here last summer for the Confederations Cup and they brought a young team, they also won the Under-21 finals but in this tournament I think they have been ahead for about a minute-and-a-half in their matches.
'It has been unusual to see them struggle as much as they have but the level of all of the teams is strong and they have played teams who have been tactically very good against them and exposed counter-attack situations in particular.
'I didn't look at that group and think automatically that they would go through. I watched some of the game and they were just unable to break South Korea down.'
England manager Gareth Southgate admitted his surprise at Germany's exit during his press conference on Wednesday
Southgate continued: 'I don't think it has any bearing on us. What it shows is that, with Italy and Holland out before we got to this point, Chile - who were in the Confederations Cup final - as well and now Germany.
'There really is no opportunity to rest on where you are as a team or stop the constant improvement. We have learned an enormous amount from studying Germany as a team.
'We learned a lot from watching them last summer and have implemented some of that and they are a team that won the World Cup. Indirectly, I would say they have had a big bearing on what we are doing now but in sport and life you just have to keep evolving and improving and it just shows anyone is vulnerable on any given day.'
HOW THE EXTRAORDINARY ACTION UNFOLDED
How it stood at the start of play in Germany's Group F
3pm - Both matches kick-off; Mexico's clash with Sweden starts in Ekaterinburg, South Korea against Germany commences in Kazan. At kick-off, Mexico are leading Group F with Germany second, Sweden third.
3.35pm - Germany dominate possession in their game but struggle to break down the Koreans. This statistic sums up the match... Germany passes: 258. South Korea passes: 47.
3.45pm - Half-time in both matches, it remains 0-0 in both. Sweden are on top in their game but heading out on goal difference.
4.05pm - Sweden score the opening goal against Mexico, Ludwig Augustinsson finishing from close range after a scrappy move. Sweden are now going through as group winners with six points, Mexico have six, and Germany are heading out with four.
4.06pm - Timo Werner misses the clearest opening so far for Germany, slashing a shot wide from 12 yards.
Sweden take the lead against Mexico through Ludwig Augustinsson and Andreas Granqvist to leave Germany in deep trouble
With Sweden ahead, Germany needed to win to overtake Mexico
4.17pm - 0-2 to Sweden, Andreas Granqvist tucks away a penalty. Suddenly Mexico are in danger due to their inferior goal difference, and Germany just need a one-goal victory to qualify and knock the North Americans out.
4.30pm - Still 0-0 in Kazan, Germany struggle to break down the obstinate Koreans. Group stage elimination for the World Cup holders suddenly looks possible.
4.32pm - A horrendous own goal by Edson Alvarez, scuffing the ball into his own thigh and over the line, sees Mexico fall three behind. It changes little however, unless Germany score...
4.37pm - Korea almost score, Son Heung-min hitting the side netting. Germany are playing poorly and have 12 minutes to save themselves.
4.45pm - Massive chance for Germany - Mats Hummels mistimes a header and sends it wide from six yards. Three minutes to play.
Germany had some massive chances to win the game - Timo Werner struck wide and Mats Hummels headed over from six yards
4.50pm - South Korea look to have scored an injury time winner through Kim-Young Gwon, but the linesman's flag goes up for offside - yet it appears to have come off Toni Kroos, so it goes to VAR...
4.52pm - ...AND IS GIVEN! South Korea lead 1-0, Germany are heading home, bottom of Group F.
The final Group F standings - Germany finish bottom of the pool
4.53pm - Full time in Ekaterinburg. Mexico 0-3 Sweden. Sweden are through, Mexico and the rest of the football world hold their breath.
4.55pm - A long ball from the Korean defence catches German goalkeeper Manuel Neuer out as he races forwards, Son Heung-Min races onto it and slots home. 2-0 to Korea.
4.58pm - All over. Germany out of the World Cup at the group stage for the first time since 1938. Mexican and Swedish fans party together in Ekaterinburg.
