Germany faced Slovakia in a World Cup qualifier on Thursday evening, a match many in the country will have been expecting Julian Nagelsmann’s side to win and put on something of a show in the process.
Liverpool and Newcastle United fans have been at war this summer over the transfer drama surrounding Alexander Isak, but they both had something to be positive about ahead of this match.
A chance to watch huge signings Florian Wirtz and Nick Woltemade in action.
Unfortunately for Germany and those expecting a show from Nagelsmann’s men, things went very wrong indeed and Slovakia won 2-0.
German newspaper Bild have called it an [historical embarrassment](https://x.com/Sport_Witness/status/1963706192892739657) and the Liverpool and Newcastle United signings are not spared in player ratings.
Whilst most ratings are out of 10, or sometimes 5, [Bild](https://www.bild.de/sport/fussball/dfb-6x-note-6-5x-note-5-einzelkritik-zur-peinlich-pleite-gegen-die-slowakei-68b9fa6c72019652f128aceb) use the German school grading system. 1 means very good, 2 is good, 3 is average, 4 is passable but still lacking, 5 is deficient and 6 is insufficient. A 6 is the lowest possible grade and, taking it back to the school grades, it means that not only were things not up to standard, but there was even a failure to understand the basics.
Liverpool’s Wirtz started on a more positive note in the review but was given 5, a very poor rating. Bild explain: _‘Created the only truly dangerous moments for the German national team: He fired in a low shot after a good dribble (32′). He set up Goretzka’s great chance. However, he lost the ball to Hancko before the 0-1 goal (42′) and also got into a tangle with his opponent. GRADE 5’_
Newcastle United’s Woltemade got the following: _‘His astronomical transfer value of €85m wasn’t evident against Slovakia. Two weak headers went over and wide of the goal (31′), a couple of botched dribbles, and a seemingly half-hearted pressing style. He only played to the end due to a lack of alternatives (Füllkrug was out of the squad due to muscle problems). GRADE 6’_
Maybe being annoyed at Bild is something Newcastle United and Liverpool fans can unite over, but probably not.