"Incomprehensible": Shocked Germany digests "surreal" World Cup exit

BERLIN: Germany captain Alexandra Popp was at a loss for words after her side's group stage elimination in Brisbane on Thursday (Aug 3), saying the exit was "incomprehensible".

"I don't even know what to say" Popp told Germany's ZDF after her side's 1-1 draw with South Korea meant they suffered their earliest ever World Cup exit.

"I can't quite understand what happened here."

Germany, a two-time World Cup winner and one of the tournament favourites, opened up their campaign with a dominant 6-0 win over Morocco but suffered a surprise 2-1 loss to Columbia.

The draw with South Korea meant the Germans finished third in their group, just one year after making it to the final of the Euros, where they lost in extra time to England.

A "shocked" German coach Martina Voss-Tecklenburg said her side showed "a great sense of insecurity" in the match, with underdogs South Korea taking the lead after just six minutes.

Star midfielder Lena Oberdorf, tipped for a breakout tournament by many, said the loss was "surreal".

"We made it too easy for our opponent ... the disappointment is huge, I can't put it into words."

The loss even won some surprise sympathy from South Korean coach Colin Bell, who told German TV he was "really sorry" about the country's premature exit.

"I didn't know that Germany was out until about four or five minutes after the game.

"I have spent more than half of my life in Germany. I love the country, my son and my granddaughter are German."

The elimination from the showpiece event mirrors the struggles of the once-powerful men's side.

The four-time winners have been eliminated at the group stage at the last two World Cups, raising serious questions about systemic problems in German football.

Tabloid Bild published an editorial