World champion Schweinsteiger brands Germany a mediocre side

In the WWK Arena in Augsburg on Sunday the German national team were beaten 1‑0 by Greece, a result that prompted former 2014 World Cup winner Bastian Schweinsteiger to declare the side "only mediocre". The defeat, the first ever for Greece over the four‑time world champions, intensified scrutiny on the German project.

Schweinsteiger’s blunt assessment

Schweinsteiger, now an idol of Bayern Munich, said Germany no longer belong to football’s top shelf. "We are no longer a top‑level team. Now we are only mediocre. We no longer have players capable of making the difference," he told reporters after the Nations League match.

He added that Greece’s Karetsas, Tzolis and Pavlidis illustrate the impact missing from the German squad. Schweinsteiger refrained from blaming coach Jürgen Klopp, noting that Klopp “is not magical” and that rebuilding will be hard work for the players.

Historical context of decline

The loss follows a string of disappointments since Germany’s triumph in Brazil in 2014. Four years later the team exited in the group stage at the 2018 World Cup, losing 2‑0 to South Korea – their first group‑stage elimination under the modern format.

Euro 2020 ended with a 2‑0 defeat to England in the round of 16, and the 2022 World Cup saw Germany finish bottom of their group after a 2‑1 loss to Japan and a draw with Spain.

Klopp defends his Germany after the defeat against Greece

At the 2026 World Cup Germany finally progressed beyond the group, but were eliminated in the first knockout round after a 1‑1 draw with Paraguay and a loss on penalties.

Current Nations League picture

Germany entered the Nations League with a draw against the Netherlands before the 1‑0 loss to Greece, leaving them with a single point in Group A2. Greece sit top with six points, the Netherlands have four and Serbia sit bottom.

Klopp’s first home match in charge ended in defeat, and the next fixtures see Germany host Serbia in Munich on Thursday and travel to Greece on Sunday.

Jürgen Klopp takes full responsibility for painful defeat in Augsburg

Schweinsteiger, 42, warned that the German game must recognise the depth of the decline before it can rebuild a generation capable of delivering decisive moments.