2026-06-30 08:50:18

Julian Nagelsmann claims that Germany can no longer be considered a “first-class team” after they suffered a shock World Cup exit at the hands of Paraguay.

The Germans suffered their first-ever World Cup penalty shootout loss as they were beaten 4-3 on spotkicks by the South Americans following a 1-1 draw in Monday’s (29.06.26) last 32 tie in Boston and the coach believes a third consecutive early elimination (following group stage exits in 2018 and 2022) at the global finals has damaged the national team’s standing.

Nagelsmann said: “If you exit after the first stage, it’s not enough for German football. This is now the third elimination in a row so we are not part of the first-class teams any more. I am disappointed.”

The exit has left the former Bayern Munich boss under immense pressure but he insisted that he won’t be resigning from his post.

Nagelsmann said: “I am not someone who runs away. This is not the first time this has happened, and there are some things about today that need to be changed. But if the DFB wants me to continue I am going to continue. I know the mechanics of football, I know how the industry works. I know a lot of people will want me to leave but I would love to continue if the football association wants me to.”

The manager accepts that some in Germany may want him gone after the four-time champions underperformed at the World Cup.

He said: “If we did a survey today in Germany people would not speak positively about me today. But in football you win some and you lose some, it’s always been that way, we haven’t really done much in this tournament to make people celebrate, but I have a lot of confidence that we could have done a better job.

“But I don’t think that everyone in Germany will agree with me staying on as manager of the Mannschaft. It was very difficult because they were ultra-defensive. We didn’t give enough. When you exit the World Cup after you play Paraguay then it is very bitter. If you do not score many goals then it is not enough. It is very hurtful.”

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