Joachim Low jumps to Mesut Ozil’s defence after World Cup exit criticism

It was Die Mannschaft’s first group stage exit in the World Cup since 1938, and leaves them returning to Berlin with just one win from two.

Germany’s defeat ensured Mexico’s berth in the Group 16, despite their 0-3 loss to Sweden.

Toni Kroos avoided passing to one of his own team-mates during Germany’s miserable World Cup campaign because he “did not trust him”, according to reports.

But the Germans failed to fire on Russian soil, suffering a shock 1-0 loss to Mexico in their opener, scraping past Sweden with a stoppage-time victor, and then losing 2-0 to South Korea at the Kazan Arena on Wednesday.

“We’ve had this situation – when the team was knocked out of the European Championship in 2004 after the group stage”, he said.

Interestingly, the German Football Association has already announced that coach Joachim Löw, who has been the head coach since 2006, will stay on as the team’s coach.

Everyone was waiting for Germany to score another late World Cup-saving goal.

Before the tournament, Low signed a contract extension through to 2022 and Grindel said coach Low’s job was safe regardless of the final result against South Korea, but the two are now set for showdown talks.

Germany lost 2-0 with the Asian side.

“It is a really, really bitter evening for us”, defender Mats Hummels added.

This debate about Mesut Ozil rages on.

However they failed to perform today.

“Don’t mention the VAR”, was a common refrain, while Brazilian media gleefully took their revenge for Brazil’s 7-1 humiliation by Germany at the last World Cup in 2014.

It ends any chance of England facing off against their historical rivals – and ensures they outlast them at a World Cup finals until 1966.

“We need a couple of hours to see things clearly”, Loew said.