Italian media figures have seized upon Germany’s shock elimination from the 2026 World Cup to criticise former defender Per Mertesacker, who had claimed the Italy national team did not merit discussion during the tournament.
Germany crashed out in the round of 32 following a penalty shootout defeat to Paraguay, a result that prompted La Gazzetta dello Sport journalist Luigi Garlando to suggest the former Arsenal centre-back had received his comeuppance.
Mertesacker’s remarks
Speaking during a recent broadcast on German channel ZDF alongside fellow ex-international Christoph Kramer, Mertesacker dismissed questions about Italy’s absence from the competition. When asked whether it was a shame that the four-time champions had failed to qualify, he replied: “Absolutely not, they don’t deserve to be talked about.”
The former Werder Bremen defender expanded on his criticism, contrasting the current squad with the side that defeated Germany in the 2006 World Cup semi-final. He remarked on the transformation, noting the Azzurri were “a world-class team when we lost” in that semi-final, but claimed two decades later one must “search long and hard to find a world-class player.”
Italian backlash
Garlando labelled Mertesacker’s comments “poor” and “naive” in a column published after Germany’s defeat. He characterised the timing of the elimination as “karma” for remarks that have reignited tensions between the two nations’ football media.
The journalist referenced the upcoming 20th anniversary of Italy’s 2-0 extra-time victory over Germany in the 2006 semi-final, a match settled by goals from Fabio Grosso and Alessandro Del Piero. He recalled that German newspapers had previously described the Italian team as “parasites” and published mocking photographs of players training on pizza slices during that tournament.
Garlando argued that Italy’s four World Cup triumphs ensure they cannot be ignored regardless of current form. He proposed that the two nations mark the anniversary on July 4 with a “pizza party”, noting that date will now feature Paraguay against France in the round of 16—a fixture Germany would have contested had they progressed.
Tournament impact
The exchange highlights the contrasting fortunes of two traditional powerhouses. While Italy continue to rebuild following their failure to qualify for the 2026 finals, Germany’s surprise early exit prevents them from competing on the upcoming anniversary of their 2006 defeat in Dortmund.
Mertesacker, who earned over 100 caps for Germany and featured in that 2006 semi-final, has yet to respond to Garlando’s critique.