Germany's World Cup Exit Blamed on 'WAGs' by Ex-Captain

Germany's disappointing World Cup campaign ended prematurely as they were eliminated by Paraguay in a penalty shootout, marking the third consecutive tournament where the team failed to advance past the group stage.

Former German captain Lothar Matthäus has pointed fingers at the team's "WAGs" (wives and girlfriends), suggesting that off-field distractions significantly diverted the players' attention. In an interview with German publication "Bild," Matthäus, who captained Germany to victory in 1990, stated that the team's decision to fully involve families from the outset of the tournament was a major drawback.

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There were too many things to deal with, not just football, but wives, families, and related topics every day.

"There were too many things to deal with, not just football, but wives, families, and related topics every day," Matthäus remarked, likening the team's approach to a "free family vacation." He revealed that issues concerning family travel arrangements and hotel accommodations even led to discussions and friction among players. Some players reportedly expressed dissatisfaction over differing treatment for their families, questioning why certain relatives could travel on team-arranged flights while others had to purchase commercial tickets.

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The team's approach was like a 'free family vacation.'

Matthäus, who experienced similar situations as captain in 1994, believes history repeated itself due to a failure to learn from past experiences. He argued that these off-field matters made it difficult for players to concentrate on the matches themselves, suggesting that families should not accompany the team from the start of the tournament and perhaps only join after reaching the quarterfinals.

Furthermore, Matthäus specifically named head coach Julian Nagelsmann's girlfriend for frequently appearing at the team's training camp. He asserted that the coaching staff should adhere to the same standards as the players, avoiding any external factors that could potentially disrupt preparations.

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Families should not accompany the team from the start of the tournament, perhaps waiting until after reaching the quarterfinals.