World Cup 2022: Germany crash out at group stage for second World Cup running

Germany have been knocked out at the group stage for the second World Cup in succession – despite beating Costa Rica 4-2 on a crazy final night in Group E at Qatar 2022.

The four-time world champions came into the game having to win to stand any chance of advancing to the last 16 – but that was always going to depend on results elsewhere.

And with Japan stunningly defeating Spain 2-1 – having given the Germans an uphill task by doing likewise to them in the opening game of the group – nothing the Germans could have done would have been enough.

In fact, they knew their fate before their match had even finished – prompting fans to start leaving in their droves before full-time as news of Japan's shock victory filtered through to the stands.

For a brief time (less than three minutes), Costa Rica were even going through, but they too succumbed to a group stage exit.

After lifting the trophy in 2014, Germany have now fallen at the first hurdle in successive World Cups for the first time ever – having finished bottom of their group at Russia 2018.