Germany crashes out of World Cup after embarrassing defeat by South Korea
CNN)The curse of the World Cup winners continues.
A "shocked" Germany became the third straight reigning champion to be knocked out in the group stage at the next World Cup -- following Italy and Spain -- after losing 2-0 to South Korea in Group F on Wednesday.
In an embarrassingly poor performance Germany went behind in the game's closing stages when Kim Young-gwon scored following a video review, with Son Heung-min then breaking away -- German keeper Manuel Neuer was by this stage in the South Korean half -- to add the second.
Just before Germany imploded, defender Mats Hummels fluffed a free header. Had he scored, Germany likely would have staved off elimination.
There was joy for South Korea at the World Cup but dejection for holders Germany.
That result in Kazan, coupled with Sweden's 3-0 win over Mexico in the other group match in Ekaterinburg, meant the Swedes and Mexico progressed to the round of 16. Sweden and Mexico finished on six points, with the Scandinavians finishing first on goal difference.
"I'm shocked," Germany coach Joachim Löw told reporters. "Shocked because we didn't manage to pull it off and beat Korea Republic and we lost this game.
"It wasn't my impression when I spoke to the team before that they were under pressure before the match because the Sweden game was on at the same time and we really had the feeling that our team wanted to move ahead and qualify for the knockout stages."
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France's Kylian Mbappe, right, celebrates with teammate Antoine Griezmann after scoring against Peru on Thursday. It was the only goal of the match.
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Peru's Andre Carrillo is challenged by French players Paul Pogba, left, and N'Golo Kante.
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A Peruvian supporter waits for the start of the match.
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Australia's Robbie Kruse, foreground, and Denmark's Henrik Dalsgaard go for a header during the teams' 1-1 draw on Thursday.
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Australia's Joshua Risdon jumps over Thomas Delaney.
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Spain's Diego Costa, right, celebrates with teammate Isco after scoring against Iran on June 20. Spain won 1-0.
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A fan has his face painted with the colors of the Spanish flag on June 20.
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Referee Andres Cunha speaks with Iranian midfielder Ehsan Hajsafi during the match.
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Cristiano Ronaldo scored the only goal in Portugal's 1-0 win over Morocco on June 20. It was his tournament-leading fourth goal.
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Uruguay fans cheer outside the stadium before the match with Saudi Arabia on June 20.
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Saudi Arabia's Fahad Al-Muwallad, left, challenges Uruguay's Diego Godin.
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Luis Suarez celebrates after scoring for Uruguay in the 23rd minute. It was the only goal of the match, and the final result meant Uruguay and Russia would both advance to the tournament's knockout stage.
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Mohamed Salah kisses the ball before scoring a penalty for Egypt on June 19. Russia won, however, by a final score of 3-1.
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Egypt's Tarek Hamed, left, and Russia's Aleksandr Golovin compete for the ball.
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Russia's first goal came when the ball deflected off Egypt's Ahmed Fathi.
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Members of the Senegal team celebrate after defeating Poland 2-1 in their match on June 19.
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Japanese defender Gen Shoji climbs over Colombia's Radamel Falcao to win a header in their World Cup opener on June 19. Japan won the match 2-1.
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The referee shows a red card to Colombia's Carlos Sanchez in the third minute. Sanchez was deemed to have deliberately handled the ball in the box.
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English players celebrate Harry Kane's first goal in the 2-1 win over Tunisia on June 18. Kane later added the winner in second-half stoppage time.
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A Tunisia fan shows his dejection after the final whistle.
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Belgium's Dries Mertens, right, competes for the ball with Panama's Jose Luis Rodriguez during their World Cup opener on June 18. Mertens scored a goal in Belgium's 3-0 victory.
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Panamanian forward Gabriel Torres controls the ball during the match against Belgium.
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Sweden's Pontus Jansson, top left, and South Korea's Ki Sung-yueng try to head the ball during Sweden's 1-0 victory on June 18.
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Switzerland's Steven Zuber celebrates after scoring a goal against Brazil on June 17. The two teams tied 1-1.
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Brazil's Philippe Coutinho and Switzerland's Breel Embolo compete for the ball.
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Brazilian star Neymar recently came back from a foot injury.
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Mexico's Hirving Lozano, left, celebrates with Jesus Gallardo after scoring the only goal in the upset victory over Germany on June 17. Germany won the World Cup in 2014.
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Fans wave German flags before facing off with Mexico.
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Mexican goalkeeper Guillermo Ochoa makes a late save against Mario Gomez.
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Marcos Ureña runs onto the pitch during Costa Rica's opening match against Serbia on June 17. Serbia won 1-0.
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Croatian players celebrate after Luka Modric scored the second goal of their 2-0 win against Nigeria on June 16.
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Nigerian captain John Obi Mikel runs with the ball during the Croatia match.
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Denmark's Yussuf Poulsen reacts after he scored a goal against Peru on June 16. It turned out to be the only goal in the match.
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Peru's Luis Advincula, left, and Denmark's Martin Braithwaite fight for the ball.
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Argentina star Lionel Messi appears downcast at the end of a 1-1 draw with Iceland on June 16. Messi missed a penalty in the match.
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Messi and Iceland's Hordur Magnusson struggle for the ball.
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Fans of France share a kiss before the team's opening match with Australia on June 16.
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French midfielder Paul Pogba keeps his eye on the ball against Australia. His shot deflected off an Australian for the match-winning goal.
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Portugal star Cristiano Ronaldo celebrates his first-half penalty against Spain on June 15. He added two more goals in the 3-3 draw.
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Spanish defender Nacho, left, competes for a header with Portugal's Bruno Fernandes. Nacho conceded the early penalty to Ronaldo but responded with a second-half goal.
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Fernando Hierro was making his debut as Spain's manager. The former captain took over two days ago when Spain fired Julen Lopetegui.
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Portuguese defender Raphael Guerreiro controls the ball in the match against Spain.
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Morocco's Aziz Bouhaddouz lies on the ground after heading the ball into his own net late in stoppage time on June 15. The whistle was blown just a few moments later, and Iran won 1-0.
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Iran's Alireza Jahanbakhsh grimaces in pain in front of Morocco's Romain Saiss.
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Uruguay's Luis Suarez, left, and Egypt's Sam Morsy battle for the ball on June 15. Uruguay won 1-0.
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Fans watch the Egypt-Uruguay match from temporary seats set up at the Ekaterinburg Arena. The seats had to be installed to meet FIFA's minimum-seating requirement.
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Egyptian midfielder Abdallah Said heads the ball during the match against Uruguay.
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Fedor Smolov fights off two Saudi defenders during the tournament opener, which Russia won 3-0 on June 14. Russia and Saudi Arabia came into the match as the lowest-ranked teams in the tournament.
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Fans watching from Yekaterinburg, Russia, celebrate Russia's first goal.
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The ball flies past Saudi Arabian goalkeeper Abdullah Al-Mayouf for Russia's fourth goal.
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A fan wears body paint in Russia's colors before the opening match.
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Russian President Vladimir Putin speaks to the crowd before kickoff at the Luzhniki Stadium.
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Performers take part in the tournament's opening ceremony.
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British pop star Robbie Williams headlined the opening ceremony.
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Russian soprano Aida Garifullina sings during the opening ceremony.
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Germany's Marco Reus reacts after his team lost to South Korea and was knocked out of the World Cup on Wednesday, June 27. The defending champions lost 2-0 and finished at the bottom of Group F.
