Four-time champions Germany on Thursday (December 1) crashed out of the FIFA World Cup 2022 despite winning the final group match 4-2 against Costa Rica at the Al Bayt Stadium in Al Kohr, Qatar.
This was only the third time in their history and second successive edition since they won the World Cup in 2014 that Germany has exited the show-piece event at a very early stage.
Ever-present at the global event, Germany has appeared in every edition except the inaugural edition in 1930 and 1950. In 1930, they did not enter the World Cup and, in 1950, they were banned from entering the event on the aftermath of the World War.
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In fact, Germany, who competed as West Germany initially, reached at least the stage of the last eight teams in 16 editions from 1954 to 2014, before being eliminated in the group stage in 2018.
Apart from 2018 and 2022, Germany also exited in the group stage at the 1938 edition in France, finishing in 10th position in the tournament of 10 teams. In 1938, the Germans lost 1 and drew 1, while they suffered 2 defeats and a draw in 2018.
In 2022, they suffered a shock loss to Japan in the tournament opener and drew to Spain in the following encounter and bounced back with a 4-2 win over Costa Rica, but that was not enough for them to progress as they ended up with only four points and an inferior goal difference to Spain.
Germany, who has lifted the World Cup in 1954, 1974, 1990 and 2014, has also finished runners up four times in 1966, 1982, 1986 and 2022. They have also had the most semifinal appearances in the tournament, having reached the last four 13 times in 20 editions.
Germany has finished in third place four times and as a fourth-placed team once. They have also made an exit in the quarter-final stage three times in their 20 appearances at the World stage.
Now, we take a look at Germany's appearance and where they finished in all the editions of FIFA World Cup:
Edition | World Cup Finish |
Qatar 2022 | Group Stage |
Russia 2018 | Group Stage |
Brazil 2014 | Champions |
South Africa 2010 | Third Place |
Germany 2006 | Third Place |
South Korea & Japan 2002 | Runners Up |
France 1998 | Quarter-final |
USA 1994 | Quarter-final |
Italy 1990 | Champions |
Mexico 1986 | Runners Up |
Spain 1982 | Runners Up |
Argentina 1978 | Second Round Group Stage (Round of 16) |
Germany 1974 | Champions |
Mexico 1970 | Third Place |
England 1966 | Runners Up |
Chile 1962 | Quarter-final |
Sweden 1958 | Fourth Place |
Switzerland 1954 | Champions |
Brazil 1950 | Banned |
France 1938 | First Round |
Italy 1934 | Third Place |
Uruguay 1930 | Did Not Enter |