As Germany gears up to host the highly anticipated UEFA Euros next year, the nation finds itself entangled in a challenging period, casting doubt on its prospects at the national team level.
Once hailed as football giants, the "Panzers" have endured a remarkable decline since their triumphant 2014 FIFA World Cup victory, and the finger of blame points squarely at their coach, Hansi Flick.
The burning question on every German football fan's mind is whether the national team can stage a comeback before the championship kicks off.
It is worth noting that even before hosting the 2006 World Cup, Germany faced criticism, though not as severe as today.
Yet, they managed to evade sporting catastrophe on home turf by reaching the semifinals of the tournament.
Following their splendid performance in Brazil, where they clinched the 2014 FIFA World Cup and lived up to their nickname "Panzer," Germany's football fortunes took a nosedive.
Their hopes were dashed at the 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia, where they limped home with just one victory in the group stage, which seemed like a mere winner's curse.
With the end of Joachim Low's 15-year reign, the German Football Federation pinned its hopes on Hansi Flick, riding high on his successes with Bayern Munich.
However, Flick could not steer the ship away from troubled waters, as the German tank suffered another setback at the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar.
The tournament began on a sour note with a defeat against Japan, culminating in a third-place finish and a failure to reach the round of 16.
The 2016 European Football Championship saw Germany reach the semifinals, but in 2020, they were prematurely sent packing by England in the round of 16, marking Low's final tournament at the helm.
Now, with less than a year remaining before EURO 2024, Germany's national team has sunk to new lows, resulting in Hansi Flick's departure.
The 58-year-old coach, who vowed that "everything would be different in September" after June defeats to Poland and Colombia, could not prevent a dismal 4-1 loss to Japan, marking the first time in 38 years that the "Panzers" suffered three consecutive defeats.
This unprecedented slump led to Flick's historic dismissal, marking the first time the German Football Federation has ever removed a national team coach.
During Flick's tenure, Germany managed to secure victories in just five of their last 23 friendly and official matches, a far cry from their previous dominance.
Despite experimenting with various tactics to address deficiencies in the wing-backs and forward line, Flick struggled to yield positive results.
In the midfield, Germany boasts a wealth of talent, including stars like Joshua Kimmich, Jamal Musiala, and Ilkay Gündoğan.
However, Flick's choice of wing-backs in friendly matches in June, such as Marius Wolf, Robin Gosens, David Raum, Jonas Hofmann, and Benjamin Henrichs, raised eyebrows.
Additionally, Flick's decision to deploy Kai Havertz, more suited to an attacking midfielder role, in matches against Colombia, Poland and Japan resulted in criticism.
Following Flick's departure, Germany faced France in their first test, with Havertz starting on the bench.
The decision proved fruitful as Germany secured a 2-1 victory, with Thomas Muller and Havertz himself making significant contributions.
The emergence of players like Niclas Fullkrug, who displayed remarkable form in the Bundesliga with Werder Bremen, scoring 16 goals last season and netting against Spain and Costa Rica in the 2022 World Cup, provides hope for the national team's future.
With Jurgen Klopp and Thomas Tuchell's names surfacing as potential coaches for the upcoming season, Germany will engage in three friendly matches in October and November, facing the USA on Oct. 14, Mexico on Oct.18, and Austria on Nov. 21.