Thomas Müller Calls Germany's 2022 World Cup Exit 'an Absolute Catastrophe'

Longtime German men's national team forward Thomas Müller didn't mince words about the team's failure to advance to the group stage of the World Cup for a second straight tournament after winning the title in 2014.

"It's an absolute catastrophe," he told reporters. "It is unbelievably bitter for us because our result would have been enough [if Spain hadn't lost to Japan]. It's a feeling of powerlessness. If that was my last game for Germany, it has been a tremendous pleasure. Thank you very much."

It seems likely to be the final World Cup for veterans Müller, Manuel Neuer, Ilkay Gündogan and Mario Götze, while manager Hansi Flick's time may be drawing to a close as well.

"If this was my last game, it was a huge pleasure," Müller added. "I've done it with love."

Since winning the 2014 World Cup, the Germans reached the semifinals of the 2016 Euros, bowed out in the group stage of the 2018 World Cup and lost in the round of 16 at the 2020 Euros (played in 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic).

Flick told reporters Thursday:

"We need to assess our World Cup, head into a different direction. This is the next step we will take and we will do it very soon. We can get up quickly and recover. We will see what the future looks like and how we can implement our ideas. I am a very critical person and we will assess everything."

Germany will look to regroup ahead of the 2024 Euros, which it is hosting. And it seems likely that a great number of changes are in store after Germany beat Costa Rica 4-2 on Thursday but failed to advance because Spain had a superior goal differential.

In particular, a 2-1 loss against Japan earlier in the group stage loomed large, as did a 1-1 draw with Spain.

Flick told reporters:

"I don't care about different teams, it's all up to us. If you look at the games and number of goals that were our fault, I am convinced that we gave away our chances against Spain and Japan. You have to take your chances and score goals. If we had, it would have been a different story. There were lots of individual mistakes in the games and it made me very angry. I told the team I was upset. But I'm not looking for excuses."