Coach Hansi Flick called for urgent changes to Germany’s football youth development, after the “huge disappointment” of elimination at the group stage for the second World Cup in a row.

Despite beating Costa Rica 4-2 on Thursday, Germany were dumped out on goal difference after Japan pulled off a shock 2-1 defeat of Spain in the group’s other game on a nailbiting night in Qatar. 

Prior to the match, 1990 World Cup winner and former Germany manager Jurgen Klinsmann said another group stage elimination would be “ten times more of a disaster” than the side’s early exit from Russia four years ago.

After Klinsmann’s worst fears came true, Flick said Germany needed significant changes to its junior development system to remain competitive with other nations.

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