Florian Wirtz 'falls short' as German media expresses major World Cup concern

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Germany were beaten 2-1 by Ecuador in their final World Cup group game, with the German media not holding back in their criticism of players and officials after a shaky displayThis article contains affiliate links, we will receive a commission on any sales we generate from it. Julian Nagelsmann's squad had already confirmed top spot before facing Ecuador, but a 2-1 loss highlighted vulnerabilities that the German press were quick to expose.Nagelsmann's men had staked their claim as potential tournament contenders with a ruthless 7-1 thrashing of Curacao in their opener.

However, they struggled to convince in a 2-1 victory against Cote d'Ivoire, while Leroy Sane's early strike on Thursday proved insufficient after Nilson Angulo and Gonzalo Plata overturned the deficit.Contentious incidents marred the match, with Ecuador protesting that Sane's goal should have been disallowed and Germany disputing the VAR decision that denied them a second-half spot-kick at 1-1. Germany's performance, by contrast, drew harsh judgement, with specific players coming under fire."The German team, on the other hand, was largely invisible for long stretches," they wrote.

However, Julian Nagelsmann's (38) team delivered a shaky, at times unfocused performance – at this rate, we'll be out soon!".Indeed, the publication even contended that Germany's solitary goal ought never to have been awarded. Germany had enjoyed excellent form heading into the tournament, but concerns are mounting that the latest setback could trigger another collapse and premature elimination."The 1-2 defeat against Ecuador, following eleven consecutive victories, highlighted the national team's vulnerability," they wrote.