First Touch ’26 - Germany

First Touch | World Soccer · Dec 12, 2025 · 14m

For generations, the World Cup script was simple: 22 players chase a ball for 90 minutes and, somehow, Germany end up in the semifinal. In this World Cup Capsule, David Gass traces how Die Mannschaft became the sport’s ultimate tournament machine. With four World Cup titles, four runner-up finishes, and 13 semifinal runs, before stumbling out in the group stage in both 2018 and 2022.

We revisit the Miracle of Bern in 1954, the politically charged 1974 win as hosts, reunified glory in 1990, and the ruthless 7–1 demolition of Brazil in 2014 that still haunts an entire country. From Nazi-era…