BOSTON, Massachusetts, June 30 (Reuters) - Germany's shock World Cup round-of-32 exit will trigger changes, the country's football association said on Tuesday, a day after the four-time world champions crashed out early for the third straight time.
The Germans, who were eliminated in the group stages in both the 2018 and the 2022 World Cups, were beaten 4-3 on penalties by rank outsiders Paraguay, and have now failed to win a knockout match in the tournament since they last won the title in Brazil in 2014.
"In the coming days, we will calmly examine the reasons why the team was unable to realise its potential and failed to meet both its own expectations and those of the German football community," DFB President Bernd Neuendorf said in a statement.
"After such a crushing blow, we cannot and will not simply return to business as usual as we look toward the tasks ahead."
Neuendorf has been in charge since 2022 and has now seen the national team crash out of two World Cups early, while also failing to progress past the quarter-finals at Euro 2024 held in Germany.
Germany coach Julian Nagelsmann, who took over in September 2023 and has a contract running to 2028, said after their elimination that he would like to stay on but that it was no longer his decision.
Fans and TV pundits in Germany have questioned whether Nagelsmann, who on Monday became the youngest coach -- aged 38 -- in a World Cup knockout match for 40 years, should be given another chance.
"Following the bitter defeat against Paraguay and our elimination from the World Cup in the USA, Canada, and Mexico, I met at length yesterday with national team coach Julian Nagelsmann and the sporting leadership team, including... (national team director) Rudi Voeller. We agree that our performance at the World Cup fell short of our standards," Neuendorf said.
"We would like to thank all the fans who supported us so magnificently — both in the USA and Canada and back home. We are all deeply disappointed that our shared journey has come to an end so early."
(Reporting by Karolos GrohmannEditing by Toby Davis)
