If you grew up idolizing the German national team's game intelligence — the kind that turned a corner into a counter-attack in four seconds — the 2026 World Cup probably stung. Germany topped Group E, then lost to Paraguay on penalties in the Round of 32, and head coach Julian Nagelsmann came out afterward and said the quiet part out loud: this group is no longer a first-class team. That admission matters to anyone training to play this sport at a high level, because it isn't