Germany after Italy’s curse: what does the Teutons need to avoid exiting the World Cup again in the first round?

In recent times there are particular situations with the world champions, who suffer from poor results in the next World Cup. Although none like Italy. After being champions in 2006, the Azzurrini were excluded from the group stage of South Africa 2010 and Brazil 2014 and did not even qualify for Russia 2018 and Qatar 2022.

The team that was about to feel the Italian opprobrium after lifting the world title could be Germany. Is that after being champions in Brazil 2014, where they beat Argentina in the final at the Maracanà, lThe Teutons started in the first round in Russia and now, in Qatar, they don’t depend on themselves to get through to the round of 16.

What does Germany need to avoid Italy’s curse? In the final day of Group E, which takes place on Thursday at 16:00 (Argentina time), Hansi Flick’s team must defeat Costar Rica for first place. And then, expect Spain to defeat Japan.

but there is two other scenarios that can occur, which he will enter to carve out the goal difference. One of them is that Japan and Spain draw. In that case, Germany, with a victory over Costa Rica, will reach four points and match the Japanese line. And with the victory by 2 goals difference it will be enough since it would remain with a difference of +1 and the Asian team would remain at 0.

the other scenariomore complicated, it is up to Japan to strike another blow and defeat the Spanish. There Germany, if they beat Costa Rica, will be together with Spain with 4 points. And we will have to see the number of goals, but If Luis Enrique’s side drop by the slightest, Flick’s side must win by a seven-goal lead.

Germany arrived at this suffering situation for the debut blow against Japan, with which they fell 2-1 and 1-1 against Spain, after starting to lose (goals from Morata and Füllkrug). And beyond the fact that a defeat against Roja would have been almost lethal, the scenario for the round of 16 continues to be complicated. Because Germany does not depend on itself and now aspires to be second. Hansi Flick’s team finished bottom of their group with one point. Spain has 4 (+7), Japan 3 (+0) and Costa Rica 3 (-6).

Meanwhile, Germany arrives at this third round without having won any of their first two World Cup matches, something that hasn’t happened for 84 years. Sign of the four-time champion’s bad season. But the story doesn’t play. This happened to him before in Russia 2018, which he could not pass the stage. For this he has to get out the calculator for the decisive date, in which he must first win his game in order not to suffer like four years ago.

In Russia 2018, Germany lost their opener against Mexico 1-0, bounced back in the second round by beating Sweden 2-1 and on the final matchday they surprisingly fell to South Korea, 2-0.

If the same thing happens to him and he is excluded again in the first round, he will not be able to avoid the curse of Italy who, after being champions in Germany in 2006, quickly left South Africa four years later, finishing bottom of their group, with just two points, after drawing with Paraguay (1-1 and New Zealand (1-1) and losing (2-3) with Slovakia.

And in Brazil 2014, Italy returned to repeat a bad performance and played only three games. He was third in a group he shared with Costa Rica, Uruguay and England. They only beat the English 2-1 in their debut and then fell to the Costa Ricans and Uruguayans, both 1-0.