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Football pundits have warned that despite their World Cup exit at the group stage, it is still too soon to write off Germany’s chances at the tournament.
BBC presenter Gary Lineker said after the holders’ shock 2-0 defeat to South Korea, “Time and again we’ve seen Germany play badly and struggle to win games at major tournaments, but still do enough to get through.
“You just can’t write them off.”
Fellow BBC pundit Mark Lawrenson agreed, saying, “Look at 1982 – lost their opening match, but still made it all the way to the final. That could still happen here.
“Even though they’ve got no games left in which to score three points and overturn a negative goal difference, you just can’t write them off.”
ITV’s Mark Pougatch concurred, saying, “Germany are always more dangerous when they’re behind. Which means that now they’re on the plane home they’re absolutely lethal. With that tournament experience they have you just can’t write them off.”
England manager Gareth Southgate is expected to field a weakened side against Belgium this evening to avoid meeting England’s perpetual nemesis in the quarter-finals, saying, “You just can’t write Germany off”.
