Matthäus: Family Visits Distracted German Squad at World Cup
German football legend Lothar Matthäus blamed players' families visiting the squad during the 2026 World Cup as a major distraction that contributed to Germany's early elimination in the Round of 32. Matthäus drew parallels to Germany's dis
German football legend Lothar Matthäus has blamed players' families accompanying the squad to America as a key factor in Germany's poor performance at the 2026 World Cup. Germany delivered a disappointing result, eliminated in the Round of 32 after drawing 1-1 with Paraguay in extra time and losing 4-3 on penalties.
Matthäus drew comparisons to the 1994 World Cup, when Germany exited before the final after losing 2-1 to Bulgaria—a tournament in which he served as team captain. He noted similar circumstances occurred then.
The 65-year-old legend stated: "While many things happen on the pitch that need consideration, what happens off the pitch also deserves discussion. A documentary was made about this subject in 1994, and I think this time is not much different. The players had been in America less than two weeks when their families arrived. The players' focus wasn't on the World Cup but on their days off, spending time with their families."
