Jersey Swap: Luis Díaz
The Liverpool forward can be one of the most exciting attackers in the world at times. Against Germany, he used his pace and finishing to put one past FC Barcelona keeper Marc-André ter Stegen, who got the nod in place of Bayern Munich’s Manuel Neuer.
Overall, though, it was a collective effort that won Colombia the match.
Der Kaiser: Malick Thiaw
In just his second performance for the national team, AC Milan center-back Malick Thiaw had another solid performance for Germany. He made a crucial intervention with a sliding tackle that denied Colombia a certain goal in the first half.
What could have been a clumsy tackle, a red card, and a penalty turned out to be a decisive tackle for the young defender. It looks like there is something to be excited about in this team.
Fußballgott: Jamal Musiala
Bayern Munich’s Jamal Musiala had some flashes of brilliance today. Some of his dribblings reminded me of the skills he showed at the World Cup in November. However, his form has deteriorated substantially since then.
Against Colombia, Musiala provided some flash but not much else. He was simply the best of a poor midfield this game.
Der Bomber: Niclas Füllkrug
Although Füllkrug was only a substitution in this match, he allowed Chelsea FC forward Havertz to drop back from the nine and instantly made Germany better. The Werder Bremen striker should have come on earlier, but his impact was immediately felt. Germany is simpler better with him on the pitch.
Meister of the Match: n/a
l can’t give this award to anyone. It was that bad. Thankfully we don’t have to watch this team for a while. In the meantime, something needs to change for Germany.
editor’s note: Thomas Müller is still the Müller of the Match.
Ready for more fallout from the game? Chuck is here to take us all on a tour of sadness in this International Friendly Rant edition of the BPW Postgame Show. Short, sweet, and bitter all at once: you need to give this a listen. Find it on Spotify or use the player below:
And while you’re at it, please throw a vote our way for the 2023 Best Club Podcast Award at WorldSoccerTalk! As always, we appreciate all your support!