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German media admits ‘bitter truth’ about England ahead of World Cup semi-final
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- German media admits ‘bitter truth’ about England ahead of World Cup semi-final
Photo by Patrick Smith - FIFA/FIFA via Getty Images
Despite crashing out of the tournament, the German press are still casting their eyes over the final four in the 2026 World Cup.
Germany 's 2026 World Cup campaign ended in absolute disaster, extending their painful twelve-year wait for a tournament knockout victory.
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Despite high expectations under Julian Nagelsmann, a shock penalty shootout defeat to Paraguay in the Round of 32 sent the European giants packing early.
Now, they're forced to sit at home and watch bitter rivals England in the semi-final.
The football rivalry between England and Germany goes back decades. Rooted in the iconic 1966 World Cup final and fueled by dramatic tournament clashes, penalty shootout heartbreaks, and the famous Frank Lampard goal that was never given.
German media jealous of Harry Kane and Jude Bellingham
As the World Cup reaches its business end, German media has delivered a brutal reality check.
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Writing for BILD , Alfred Draxler argues that England have players like Jude Bellingham and Harry Kane, whereas Germany have no superstars.
'The four powerhouse teams left in the tournament may no longer be playing with quite the same freedom and flair they showed at the start of the tournament. You can see the toll this long World Cup has taken on the players, pushing them to the limits. But they still have those world-class superstars who make all the difference. The ones who guarantee success. The ones worth staying up all night to watch. Just a few names: Mbappé, Dembélé and Olise for France. Lamine Yamal, Oyarzabal and Rodri for Spain. Kane and Bellingham for England. And, of course, Messi for Argentina.
'We don't have players of that world-class caliber. Not a single one. That's the bitter truth. And we need to stop fooling ourselves into thinking otherwise. We have no Beckenbauer or Gerd Müller like in 1974. No Matthäus, Brehme or Völler like in 1990. And no Lahm, Kroos or Thomas Müller like in 2014.'
Harry Kane and Jude Bellingham made history at the 2026 World Cup, scoring six goals each to lead England to the semi-finals.
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They became the first ever teammates in tournament history to both reach six goals in a single tournament, accounting for twelve of England's thirteen total tournament goals.
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