2026 World Cup: Lothar Matthäus Slams Germany: “They Don’t Want to Suffer for Their Country”

1990 World Cup champion Lothar Matthäus lambasted Germany following its disappointing loss to Paraguay in the round of 16 of the 2026 World Cup: “I’m absolutely furious. This isn’t the Germany I know, and it certainly isn’t the Germany I fought for. Being eliminated from the World Cup this way is unacceptable.”

The former Inter Milan player pointed the finger at the team’s mentality: “Every player, every coach, and everyone involved with this team needs to take a long, hard look in the mirror after tonight, because this performance was a far cry from the standards expected of Germany. You can’t wear the German jersey and play with so little urgency, so little aggression, and so little conviction. Paraguay fought for every ball as if their lives depended on it, while Germany seemed nervous, passive, and completely out of ideas when the pressure mounted. You win with character, mentality, and the willingness to suffer for your country.”

“I don’t want to hear excuses about bad luck, referees, or penalties. Champions don’t hide behind excuses—they take responsibility,” he continued in his article published by BILD. “Right now, I don’t see how things can continue with Nagelsmann. After this World Cup, we need to move forward with a new coach. It was simply too much for him.”

Matthäus was also very critical of how the entire trip was managed: “I don’t understand why all the families have to be present from the very beginning, after every game. Then there’s the issue of travel and hotel reservations: it was a topic of conversation within the team, and everyone was angry with one another. One player was allowed to fly with his mother, another with his wife or children, while the rest had to travel on a commercial flight. There was a lot of turmoil; our focus wasn’t on the World Cup. For them, these issues were perhaps more important than what was happening on the soccer field.”