FOUR-TIME world champions Germany suffered their first away defeat in a World Cup qualifier following a shocking 2-0 loss to hosts Slovakia in their opening match for the 2026 tournament.
The Germans had never previously lost a World Cup qualifying match on the road and have now suffered three consecutive defeats after losses to Portugal and France in the Nations League during June.
Germany coach Julian Nagelsmann stated his team showed no emotionality in their game and were miles behind their opponents in terms of emotions.
Nagelsmann emphasised his desire to see greater emotionality from his players and suggested selecting players who give their all rather than focusing solely on quality.
The German national team has failed to make an impact in major international tournaments since their last World Cup victory in 2014.
Slovakia missed an early golden opportunity through Lubomir Satka before Germany goalkeeper Oliver Baumann made a superb save against Leo Sauer in the 21st minute.
The hosts’ offensive play paid dividends in the 42nd minute when Florian Wirtz lost possession and David Hanchko finished a quick break with a fine shot.
Germany appeared more aggressive after halftime with Leon Goretzka coming close, but Slovakia scored against the run of play through David Strelec in the 55th minute.
Nagelsmann described the first five minutes of the second half as brighter but the remainder as pretty grim for his team.
The coach expressed trust in his team but emphasised that superior player quality alone is insufficient without willingness and desire on the pitch.
Germany failed to mount a serious comeback and displayed little creativity or attacking threat throughout the match.
Slovakia will travel to Luxembourg for their next Group A match while Germany will host Northern Ireland in their following fixture. – Reuters
