Germany's failure at the 2022 World Cup was due to 'internal conflicts'.

Coach Hansi Flick has been accused of favoritism towards Bayern Munich players, causing the German squad for the 2022 World Cup to be divided into two factions.

According toBildThe problems arose before the 1-2 defeat to Japan in the opening match of the 2022 World Cup group stage. After FIFA announced it would sanction teams that used the OneLove captain's armband, the German team members held a meeting the evening before their opening match.

Here, Manuel Neuer and Leon Goretzka – two Bayern players – proposed that the entire team perform a gesture to protest FIFA. Many German players were reluctant to participate in any political statements, but after Joshua Kimmich – another Bayern player – joined in, the whole team agreed to put their hands up to cover their mouths during the pre-match photo session at the Khalifa Stadium on November 23rd.

Many German players reluctantly participated in a collective gag protest at the Khalifa Stadium on November 23rd, initiated by a group of Bayern Munich players to protest FIFA's ban on the "One Love" captain's armband. Photo:Reuters

During the match, many players questioned Flick's decision to bring Leon Goretzka on to replace Ilkay Gundogan – who had played well and scored the opening penalty in the first half – in the 67th minute. This decision caused Germany to lose control of the midfield, and they subsequently lost due to two goals conceded in the final eight minutes. Gundogan and other players who don't play for Bayern Munich believe Flick made this substitution simply to please his favorite player, Goretzka.

BildIt also highlighted that "Marc-Andre ter Stegen and Kai Havertz are disappointed at being left out on the bench." In particular, Ter Stegen was angry that his brilliant performances at Barca couldn't convince Flick – who continued to give the starting spot to Bayern's 36-year-old goalkeeper, Neuer.

Many German reserve players are disappointed at not being used at the 2022 World Cup. Photo:Reuters

Many German players were also unhappy that Niklas Sule retained his starting position in the match against Spain. Previously, Sule had made a positional error, allowing striker Takuma Asano to break the offside trap and score the winning goal in Japan's 2-1 victory. Instead, Dortmund defender Nico Schlotterbeck became the "scapegoat," being relegated to the bench in the second match.

Central defender Matthias Ginter, with 47 caps for the national team and a member of the 2014 World Cup-winning squad, was almost forgotten at Qatar 2022. He only came on for a few minutes at the end of the match against Costa Rica when everything was already decided.

Internal conflicts within the German national team are further jeopardizing Flick's position, alongside concerns about his performance at the 2022 World Cup. However, according to transfer news expert Fabrizio Romano, the German Football Association (DFB) will continue to place its trust in Flick, following a crisis management meeting at its Frankfurt headquarters on December 7th. The 57-year-old coach's task is to lead Germany to victory in Euro 2024, which will be held on home soil.

Flick (in white shirt) directs the German national team before a training session in Doha during the 2022 World Cup. Photo:Reuters

Flick was previously an assistant to Joachim Low in the German national team that won the 2014 World Cup. He made a name for himself during his two seasons managing Bayern Munich, including a sextuple in the 2019-2020 season, which included the Bundesliga, German Cup, Champions League, German Super Cup, UEFA Super Cup, and FIFA Club World Cup.

After Low left in the summer of 2021, Flick was appointed as his replacement, and he led the German national team to easily qualify for the 2022 World Cup, becoming the first European team to secure a spot. However, the coach was unsuccessful at the finals in Qatar. Germany lost 1-2 to Japan in their opening match, struggled to a 1-1 draw with Spain before winning 4-2 against Costa Rica in the final match, and were eliminated on goal difference, finishing third in Group E – the "group of death" of the tournament.