Germany’s worst result since 1931 raises questions about the coach’s methods and the players he has frozen out
The fourth official was preparing to raise the board for one last time when Luis Enrique drew up close and said something to him. Even in the quiet of an empty arena the Spain manager couldn’t be heard clearly, but he seemed to be suggesting there was no need to add any more time. Germany had had enough, and long ago. To his left, Joachim Löw sat in the shadow of the bench, not moving, which is how he had sat for most of the night. Above him, Oliver Bierhoff, the national team director, watched in silence alongside the substitutes.
The board went up. “OK, two minutes,” someone could be heard saying, almost apologetically and in Spanish. In German, no one said anything. It had been like that pretty much all game. There was just … nothing. Löw rested his hand on his chin, defeated and distant. On the scoreboard, which the few people in this arena photographed for posterity, it said: 6-0. The list of Spain’s goalscorers filled the screen. Through the silence, radio broadcasters shouted about a historic night.
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