The match ended in a humiliating defeat: the German side looked uninspired and devoid of ideas. Anyone watching must have thought: better not to play at all.
Captain Joshua Kimmich said after the game that it was the team’s job to make the nation proud. Especially at a time when it would have done Germany good to have something to be proud of, the failure was particularly regrettable. The question of pride links the football disaster to the general mood: economic growth of just half a percent, a record number of corporate insolvencies since 2013, a crumbling education system, and a lack of affordable housing.
For decades, pride in Germany was fueled by economic prosperity, functioning administration, and cultural achievements. Many of these pillars are now crumbling. The national team, once an institution that inspired pride, now ranks twelfth in the FIFA standings – behind Belgium and Colombia.
Source: www.faz.net
