Dhe English players made some strange observations about their clothing after beating Senegal 3-0 in the round of 16. The grass at Al Bait Stadium is said to have left suspicious green marks on their traditional white shirts, shorts and socks. Nothing makes greener stains than a slide with white fabric across the lawn, you might think. But it’s probably not that simple.
According to a report in the Daily Mail, there is a suspicion that the Qatari hosts always want their lawns to appear a bit greener and more beautiful than they might naturally be. The stains are therefore difficult to wash out. Was the famous “Augusta trick” used?
Suspicious green stain on English trousers
What: AP/Abbie Parr
At the legendary Masters golf tournament in the USA, the green areas shine in a wide variety of tones, the color palette is not only attributed to the original skills of the greenkeepers, but also to the use of spray paint on some areas.
Fifa denied the allegations, according to the report, which is not as surprising as the green stains on the shirts. Only some areas in which the players can warm up have been colored green, the world association said.
10:47 a.m .: TV quota – interest remains low
In the knockout phase of the World Cup in Qatar, the interest of television viewers remains lower than in previous tournaments. 5.022 million viewers saw the victory of the Brazilian national team on ZDF on Monday evening and, according to AGF Videoforschung, ensured a market share of 18.0 percent. Although the live broadcast of the 4-1 win against South Korea was the most-watched program of the day, it fell far short of comparable figures from the 2018 World Cup in Russia.
Japan vs Croatia in the afternoon was watched by 4.065 million people with a market share of 25.8 percent. The match between Poland and Argentina still has the top value for games without German participation with 6.72 million (market share 25.1 percent). Telekom, as the third World Cup broadcaster, does not publish any figures.
10:22 a.m .: Flick regrets Bierhoff’s resignation
Hansi Flick reacted with great regret to the departure of Oliver Bierhoff from the German Football Association – the national coach does not currently see a suitable successor plan. “My coaching team and I are finding it difficult at the moment to imagine how the gap created by Oliver’s departure can be closed professionally and personally. Our cooperation has always been characterized by loyalty, team spirit, trust and reliability. Cohesion was in the DNA of our team,” Flick was quoted as saying in a statement on the DFB website on Tuesday.
Bierhoff and the DFB had terminated the DFB director’s contract, which ran until the 2024 European Championships at home. Flick did not comment on his own future in the statement, but did comment on the importance of working with Bierhoff. He has been in charge of the national team since 2004, first as team manager and later as director.
“For me personally, Oliver was my first point of contact and friend within the team. Our common goal was the EM 2024 project in Germany. For Oliver, the focus was always and exclusively on the well-being of the national team, the DFB and German football. I would like to thank him personally and as the national coach for this long collaboration and the invaluable trust that has been placed in us. This trust is and will remain the greatest asset in football,” said Flick.
Oliver Bierhoff terminates his contract with the DFB
After another preliminary round at a World Cup, DFB director Oliver Bierhoff took the consequences and canceled his contract with the DFB. Both parties agreed on an amicable separation.
10:03 a.m .: International press comments on Bierhoff’s end
Four days after the national soccer team was eliminated from the preliminary round at the World Cup in Qatar, Oliver Bierhoff took the consequences and left the German Soccer Association.
„AS“ (Spanish): “Heads are rolling in Germany. Manager Oliver Bierhoff announced his resignation just four days after losing the World Cup in the preliminary round. It didn’t take long for the World Cup debacle to have consequences for the management team.”
„The Sun“ (England): “Germany’s legend Oliver Bierhoff is the first victim after his nation’s embarrassing World Cup elimination.”
“L’Équipe” (France): “After Germany was eliminated from the group stage of a World Cup for the second time in a row, the revolution is now beginning. The general director of the association, Oliver Bierhoff, is resigning from his post.”
“Gazzetta dello Sport” (Italy): “Chaos in Germany, Bierhoff resigns.”
09:47: Japan’s professionals apologize
Japan’s professionals have practiced self-criticism after the next thrilling World Cup and asked the fans for forgiveness. “I apologize that we couldn’t let people experience this new scenario in the quarterfinals,” said winger Junya Ito after the round of 16 penalty shootout. Takumi Minamino, Kaoru Mitoma and captain Maya Yoshida were saved from penalties by Croatia’s Dominik Livakovic to make it 3-1 from the point on Monday. In 2010 and 2018, the Blue Samurai were eliminated in dramatic fashion in the round of 16.
Croatia’s round of 16 hero shines with three saves from penalties – the highlights in the video
Croatia can continue to dream of the World Cup title. In a dramatic round of 16, the decision against Japan is only made on penalties. Dominik Livakovic becomes a hero with three saves. The highlights in the video.
“I missed everything in this game. We have to work hard to win more at the next World Cup,” said striker Mitoma, who shed tears after being eliminated in Al-Wakra. Coach Hajime Moriyasu’s team wanted to spark football enthusiasm in their own country by reaching the World Cup quarter-finals for the first time. Captain Yoshida believes that this can still succeed. “I hope that many children have seen this game and dream of football. And that one day they will play at a World Cup and make it into the quarter-finals for the first time,” said the Schalke professional.
9:16 am: Mourning at Argentina’s Paredes
Leandro Paredes mourns the loss of his grandfather. The 28-year-old Argentina midfielder shared the news of his grandfather’s death via Instagram. “You have left us, old sir, and it breaks my heart,” Paredes wrote. “Today we have another angel guiding us from heaven. I will love you forever grandpa, rest in peace,” he added. In addition, Paredes published a photo late Monday evening in which he hugged him from behind.
Teammate Ángel di María, who plays for Juventus and in the selection with Paredes, reacted via Instagram like many of the Argentine internationals and wished Paredes a lot of strength. Next Friday, the Argentines will play against the Netherlands for a place in the semi-finals of the World Cup in Qatar. Paredes has featured twice in Argentina’s four games so far.
8:55 a.m .: Amazon is sticking to the planned documentary about the DFB team
Despite the early exit from the World Cup, Amazon wants to stick to the plans for the documentary about the DFB selection. “As announced, Prime Video 2023 will show an ‘All or Nothing’ documentary about the path of the German men’s national soccer team on the way to the World Cup in Qatar and the events on site,” said an Amazon spokesman.
After losing in the preliminary round, the six-part film now offers the ‘Nothing’ version and is being produced by UFA. The series is scheduled to air in spring 2023, but there is no exact release date yet. In the Amazon series “All or Nothing” for the paid Prime Video service, there have already been documentaries about teams like Borussia Dortmund, Bayern Munich and Manchester City.
08:31: Compatriots celebrate Croatians Gvardiol
RB Leipzig will be happy: Hardly a World Cup day goes by without exuberant praise for Josko Gvardiol. The only 20-year-old Croatian central defender currently has a market value of around 60 million euros, and the trend is rising. “The sky is his limit,” said midfielder Nikola Vasic after Croatia’s happy 3-1 penalty shoot-out against Japan in the World Cup round of 16 in Al-Wakra. Before that, national coach Zlatko Dalic had exaggeratedly named the young Leipzig defender the “best defender” in the exuberance of the round of 16. Dalic then put it into perspective: “If he’s not number 1 yet, then he will be.”
This may be. Until then, however, Gvardiol will first have to compete with the really best strikers in the world. With the exception of Belgium’s Romelu Lukaku, at the World Cup with Croatia he has at best only met international B-goods. And in just one half against Lukaku, he and his neighbors gave the Belgian top striker a number of great chances. The fact that it was 0-0 at the end of the last preliminary round and that vice world champions Croatia even reached the round of 16 was mainly due to the inefficiency of the long-injured Lukaku that evening. In the quarter-finals against Brazil with superstar Neymar on Friday (4 p.m.), Gavrdiol will be able to prove for the first time whether he can really confirm the hymns of praise from his compatriots at the very highest level.
