Loew takes responsibility for Germany’s elimination at Euro 2020

Berlin (dpa) – Joachim Loew has taken responsibility for Germany’s elimination at Euro 2020 after a 2-0 defeat to England in the round of 16 that also ended his time as national coach.

“I always had absolute confidence in this team and believed in them. I am sorry that we disappointed our fans. I take responsibility for this elimination,” Loew told his final news conference on Wednesday.

“Carrying this responsibility is not always very easy. But after 15 years on the front line, I’m also glad I can step back a bit,” the coach said.

Loew had already announced earlier this year he would leave his position after Euro 2020 and said “that was not the farewell we all imagined.” Some players were very sad after the game “as I have rarely experienced,” Loew said.

There was no big goodbye speech, just “thank you” exchanges.

Loew’s highlight was the World Cup title in 2014, but he couldn’t take the momentum into Euro 2016 and failed to defend the World Cup trophy in Russia in 2018 with a group stage exit.

He said the semi-final defeat against France at Euro 2016 was the biggest one for him. Portugal then beat France in the final.

“If we had beaten France, which was possible, we would certainly have won the European title,” Loew said, also labelling the England defeat on Tuesday as one that “also hurts me a lot.”

After the 2018 World Cup, Loew dropped veterans Thomas Mueller, Mats Hummels and Jerome Boateng to try to make way for a new generation.

But the coach failed to get the best out of his younger players, while also struggling to find a game concept to fit his team.

“There were many difficulties. In the end, due to the coronavirus and some injuries, there was also not the opportunity to play in and form the team the way it needed to be,” Loew said.

For Euro 2020 he brought back Hummels and Mueller, who missed Germany’s best opportunity to score against England and right after the opponents opened the scoring.

“I didn’t reproach him at all. Such chances have often been missed. Logically, it would have helped us a lot, the stadium would certainly have been very quiet,” Loew said.

“I think Thomas can handle such a situation well and will come to terms with it,” he added.

Whether veterans such as Mueller (31), Hummels (32) and also Toni Kroos (31) will remain for the next cycle of the national team is still unknown. But Germany director Oliver Bierhoff said he hasn’t heard anything about retirements so far.

But Bierhoff admitted: “We have players who are no longer quite so young, who have to take on more responsibility at their clubs.”

Manuel Neuer is 35 but is expected to stay in the national set-up.

Loew said he hasn’t given “any concrete thought” of what’s next for him and that he hasn’t even planned holidays yet.

He added that “of course I will be available” to new coach Hansi Flick but believes that Flick will bring his own ideas

“I have been in constant contact with Hansi over the last few months. Even now during the tournament we have spoken on the phone or exchanged text messages,” Loew said. For the time being, however, there are no plans for a meeting.

Loew also said he would at some point be in contact Mesut Oezil, who quit the Germany team in 2018 after a row over being photographed with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.