The most difficult day of my career, says Kimmich after Germany's World Cup exit

beat

on Thursday but finished in third place in Group E with 4 points.  Japan beat Spain 2-1 and advanced to the next round as group winners. Spain also qualified for the last 16 with 4 points due to a better goal difference.

After the game, Germany star Joshua Kimmich said Germany's early

exit is the worst moment of his career.

"For me personally, this is the worst day of my career. I'm afraid I'll fall into a hole,"

Kimmich told reporters.

"It makes you think these failures are connected to my person.

"This is definitely the most difficult day of my career for me. The second time being eliminated at a World Cup, in between we had the Euros, where we were eliminated early.

"That is bitter and there have been many missed opportunities within the last four years."

Germany has been eliminated in the group stage at the last two World Cups. They also lost against England in the round of the last 16 in Euro 2020. Germany has failed to keep a clean sheet in their last 12 games in a major tournament.

Germany star Ilkay Gundogan also believes his teammates should blame themselves for the early exit from the World Cup.

"We concede goals too easily, we lose balls too easily and up front we miss goalscoring chances too easily,"

Gundogan said.

"Of course, as Germany, we have to have different aspirations, so we have to take a good look at ourselves.

"We just didn't manage to do our best as a group, or maybe individually. We have to question what the reasons were and everyone has to look in the mirror and tell themselves that it wasn't enough."

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