No African teams left in the last 16. As Germany is out by their twisted fate

As the 16 countries are in the World Cup fray, and the defending champion Germany isn’t among them, having suffered the ignominy of not making the cut. They are in good company as the past four of five champions met a similar twisted fate. This may have something to do with inability to sustain a winning combination of over four years, while trying to blend in sufficient numbers of youth to make up for ageing legs among those who have won the last Cup.

But Die Mannschaft seemed particularly ineffective, as he was unable to even take a decent shot at the South Korean goal despite knowing the guillotine was hanging over their heads. The consoling thought is the German system, perhaps the best in the world, may be intact to allow quick rebuilding.

This is the first World Cup since 1982 when not a single African nation will be among the last 16. The absence of an entire continent of talented footballers will be recognised, though no one has yet challenged Europe and South America for soccer supremacy.

The luck of the draw seems to have brought Brazil, France, Argentina, Belgium, Uruguay and Portugal in the same half, that too with France playing against Argentina at the beginning of the Round of 16. Only one will survive to take on possibly Spain, Sweden, Croatia, Colombia or England. Japan are the only Asian team in this august company, but they really got there in farcical circumstances on the basis of the fair play criterion.