After the bitter end of the DFB team at the World Cup in Qatar, national player Joshua Kimmich (27) was completely devastated in an interview in the mixed zone after the game. Almost in tears, he said into the cameras and microphones: "I'm a little afraid that I'll really fall into a hole." For him, the elimination was "the most difficult day of my career" despite the 4-2 win against Costa Rica. He fears that this debacle will be associated with his name. However, the FC Bayern Munich professional ruled out resigning from the national team.

But: He is concerned about whether these failures are associated with his person. After winning the 2014 World Cup, Germany failed both in 2018 and now in the World Cup preliminary round. At the European Championships in 2016 it was still enough for the semi-finals, in 2021 they were eliminated in the round of 16. The dejected Kimmich also sees it this way: "We blew it up in 2018, then we messed up the Euros last year."

Thomas Müller (33), world champion of 2014, indicated his retirement from the national team in a TV interview immediately after the kick-off. For him too, the World Cup was an "absolute catastrophe". Staring into the camera, he said, "If that was my last game, I did it with love." After leaving, he felt "a feeling of powerlessness", it was "incredibly bitter".