At a press conference on Wednesday, coach of the German national soccer team, Hansi Flick, analyzed his team’s progress so far.

Hansie FlickPhoto: MARCUS BRANDT / AFP / Profimedia

LiveBlog Wednesday at the World Cup 2022 Qatar: Tunisia – France and Australia – Denmark (from 17:00)

On Thursday, the German national team will play the most important match of this World Cup, and the game will be with a very high stake – the round of 16.

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After the triumph in 2014, when they won the World Cup after the final with Argentina, Germany did not even get out of the group stage of the tournament in Russia (2018), and another such “performance” would be simply shameful.

The match against Costa Rica is hugely important and will be the first men’s finals tournament to be led by a woman at centre.

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“We are in this situation because of our fault, because we did not play well. Now we have to respond, our responsibility is to give 100%.

I am an optimistic person, I do not consider the possibility of being eliminated. I don’t know what will happen, my contract is until 2024, when the European Championship will be held at home. But there is still a lot of time before that.

We will approach Thursday’s game with the intention of setting the tone from the start, with pressure. It will be difficult against a team that defends. We have to be in the same mood as before the game against Spain.” – said Hansi Flick.

Hansi Flick has the entire squad at his disposal and will field the first top 11 for the doubleheader on Thursday, starting at 9:00 p.m.

The Germans must win the last match in the group, and in order to secure a place in the round of 16, there are two scenarios:

  • Germany wins by at least two goals, while Japan draws with Spain.
  • Germany wins the match against Costa Rica and Spain defeats Japan.

Group E tournament standings:

1. Spain 4p

2. Japan 3 years

3. Costa Rica 3 years

4. Germany 1b

What happened on Tuesday at the World Cup in Qatar: England and the USA in the round of 16 – Iran is eliminated from the final tournament.