'Tears of Wembley': German media react to Euro 2020 defeat

"There was once a great tournament team," lamented the Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung (FAZ) broadsheet on Wednesday morning following Germany's 2-0 defeat to England at Wembley, which saw the Nationalmannschaft crash out of Euro 2020.

After reaching at least the semifinals of five major tournaments between 2008 and 2016, and winning the World Cup in 2014, Joachim Löw's final two competitions ended in group stage humiliation in Russia in 2018 and now a last-16 exit from Euro 2020.

"The delusion has been shattered," the FAZ continued. "The collapse of German football under Joachim Löwwas consummated in its depressing entirety."

The legend that, in former England striker Gary Lineker's words, "the Germans always win," was well and truly busted amid "the tears of Wembley" (Spiegel).

The famous stadium, which enjoys such a mythical reputation among German football fans from the 1966 World Cup final defeat to Euro 1996 glory to the all-German 2013 Champions League final, now has a darker chapter.

"Bye-bye Wembley!" wrote tabloid BILD, in English, before continuing in German: "The German legend that we're invincible at Wembley since 1966 is over." Sister publication Sportbild also had an English-language flavor to their headline, exclaiming: "Oh no! Deutschland knock-out in Wembley!"

The FAZ also added an English reference with "Last Exit London! Löw's era ends with a bitter exit," while broadsheet Die Zeit took the broader political angle with: "Löxit."

Tactical criticism: 'Radio Müller loses frequency'

Beyond the headlines, the football-specific press took aim at Löw's tactics and in-game management.

"Why didn't Löw bring Musiala on earlier?" demanded Sportbild, after the former England youth player was only brought on in injury time, despite an influential cameo against Hungary in the group stage.

Football magazine Kicker said "Löw acted too late" and said the 61-year-old "didn't have a coherent concept for [Leroy] Sane" and Germany's other attacking talents. "Overall, the English proved to be a team which was further along in its development than Löw's team."

The Süddeutsche Zeitung singled out Thomas Müller's 81st-minute miss when one-on-one with Jordan Pickford, referencing the Bayern Munich man's nickname in the quip: "Radio Müller loses frequency." 

The future: 'Danke, Jogi!'

Berlin's Tagesspiegel summed up the thoughts of many commentators, including here at DW, that Löw ultimately overstayed his welcome in the Germany job: "The inglorious end to a glorious era: Joachim Löw missed the right opportunity to say farewell, and must live with that mistake."

But there was also gratefulness and recognition of Löw's achievements over a period of huge success for Germany. "Danke, Jogi!" said Hamburg's Morgenpost, lamenting "the painful end to the great Löw era."

In western Germany, meanwhile, some publications looked to the future with trepidation.

"Germany are now just tournament minnows," grumbled Cologne's Express. "Löw has left behind a huge rebuilding job for [successor] Hansi Flick."

The Dortmund-based Ruhrnachrichten agreed, saying: "The DFB [German Football Association] is damaged and Hansi Flick has a big job on his hands."