If you are peruser of a thing called The Internet then you’ve undoubtedly been inundated with the images and headlines of Germany’s World Cup devastation. The reigning world champ went out on Wednesday in shocking fashion, finishing last in the group thanks to two stoppage time goals from South Korea.
Bottom line going into to the game, Germany needed a win to advance. This graphic of Manuel Neuer’s touches show just how desperate that pursuit became for Die Mannschaft. The shotstopper is known for his adventurous tendencies outside the 18 and more often than not, like he did for 90 minutes against South Korea, they go off without a hitch.
Manuel Neuer's touches during the South Korea game. Photo: @hamiltard | Twitter
That is, until they don’t and then things can go pretty badly pretty quickly. Example: THAT dot, that heavy dot standing alone in South Korea’s defensive half, the nail in the coffin for the German side.
#MundialTelemundo Heung-Min Son de #KOR pone el último clavo al ataúd de #GER pic.twitter.com/zHm5xqaq1v
— Telemundo Deportes (@TelemundoSports) June 27, 2018
The blame for the world champs’ exit cannot solely fall on Manuel Neuer but, regardless, it’s an intriguing aesthetic breakdown of one component of game. If nothing else, Neuer’s touches embody a team gasping for air in uncharted waters — a World Cup group stage exit for the first time in their history.
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