Kai Havertz has dismissed Gary Lineker’s criticism of the German national team’s performance ahead of their Round of 32 clash against Paraguay, after the former England forward described the team as “one of the weakest I’ve ever seen,” reports BritPanorama.
Germany started their World Cup campaign strongly, with a commanding 7-1 victory over Curacao. However, the team has since struggled, narrowly defeating Ivory Coast 2-1 before suffering a disappointing 2-1 loss to Ecuador in their final group game.
Lineker, who is currently providing commentary for a Netflix show, expressed his concerns regarding Germany’s capabilities. In an interview with French newspaper L’Equipe, he remarked, “I think this is one of the weakest Germany sides I have ever seen,” highlighting the team’s past failures, including not advancing beyond the group stage in the last two World Cups.
Although Germany remains a strong favourite for the match against Paraguay, Havertz, who plays for Arsenal, was quick to rebut Lineker’s remarks. He stated, “Everyone is entitled to their opinion. I didn’t even notice it myself,” adding that external criticism does not influence the team’s morale.
Havertz continued, noting, “We already have plenty of experts in our own country – if people in other countries start as well, then at some point enough is enough. It’s always easy to criticise us from the outside. But it honestly doesn’t interest me at all.”
Germany arrives at the contest with an expectation of victory, particularly as Paraguay advanced from the tournament via a third-place route. Meanwhile, head coach Julian Nagelsmann reassured fans of his determination to secure a win, emphasizing the necessity of confidence in their game plan. “It is always about winning when talking about the national team,” he stated, underscoring the importance of addressing expectations effectively to ensure success.
As the World Cup unfolds, it will be testament to Germany’s resilience and ability to confront criticism. Whether they can silence their detractors, however, remains to be seen.
