The opening match against Japan is coming up, but instead of talking about football, all eyes are on a piece of cloth: The scandal surrounding captain Manuel Neuer’s armband is dominating the headlines. How much do the discussions off the pitch affect the players? During the football match Germany loses 1-2 to Japan and finds itself once again with its back to the wall.

Now the German team needs to win against Spain, of all teams, or they will be eliminated from the preliminary round. Behind the scenes, the analysis of mistakes is open and ruthless. The team spirit is right and confidence is returning. Niklas Füllkrug, who was only selected for the squad at the last minute, is causing goosebumps in the dressing room and on the pitch.

If the German team wants to progress into the last 16 on its own merits, a big win against Costa Rica in the last match is a must. But at half-time the score is only 1:0, and coach Hansi Flick shows his unusual side in his dressing room speech. But everything goes against him and his team in the second half. The view into the dressing room after the final whistle tells it all - no comment.