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#1: Germany
Perhaps no other side has disappointed in 2018 quite as badly as Germany. Die Mannschaft went into the 2018 World Cup as holders, having defeated Argentina for the famous trophy in Brazil 4 year ago, and they also went in as one of the heavy favourites, after winning the Confederations Cup with what many considered a second-string side in 2017.
Early 2018 had seen some worrying results for Joachim Low’s team – friendly losses to Brazil and Austria – but those games didn’t mean a lot and everyone figured the Germans would turn it on once the World Cup properly started. Except they simply didn’t, falling apart on the biggest stage like they’d never really done before.
A poor performance in their opening game saw them lose 1-0 to Mexico, and another disjointed showing against Sweden was only rescued when Toni Kroos struck with a remarkable 95th-minute free-kick winner. Most still expected Low’s team to come through the group stages, but instead, a shocking 2-0 loss to South Korea sent them home in the opening round for the first time in their history.
If German fans had expected their team to rebound during the inaugural UEFA Nations League, they were quickly proven wrong. Despite younger stars like Leroy Sane and Serge Gnabry being installed as new key players, Low’s side were shockingly relegated to League B after failing to win a game – losing to France and the Netherlands away and only drawing with both at home.
Considering the amazing depth of talent on offer to Low, the historical tendency to find success no matter the odds, and one competitive win in 7 matches in the calendar year, it’s pretty safe to say that no other team was as big of a letdown to its fans as Germany in 2018.
