'One of our worst games' - Joshua Kimmich gives brutal assessment of 'bitter' Portugal defeat as Germany crash out of Nations League finals

Germany crashed out of the Nations League semi-finals with a 2-1 defeat to Portugal at the Allianz Arena in Munich, sparking an angry reaction from captain Kimmich. Florian Wirtz opened the scoring for Germany early in the second half, but Portugal struck back with goals from Francisco Conceicao and Cristiano Ronaldo in a span of five minutes.

Kimmich, who earned his 100th cap during the match, admitted the team’s shortcomings in a brutally honest post-match press conference. He said: "Bitter is the wrong word. It was an absolutely deserved defeat. In the second half, after our 1-0 lead, it was nothing. We have to learn certain lessons from this. We have to understand that if we're not at 100 percent, it will be difficult against any opponent. Then we won't be able to compete against a top European team. We have to be honest about that today. Today was one of our worst games. But we have a chance to show a reaction on Sunday."

The loss compounds Germany's struggles in recent tournaments. Julian Nagelsmann’s side, although boasting experience and youth, looked short of cohesion and intensity, even after taking the lead in the second half. Portugal, meanwhile, were clinical and composed, with Ronaldo striking on his 220th game for his country.

The Black and Whites are out of title contention in the Nations League and will now face the loser of Spain vs France in the third-place match on Sunday in Stuttgart. The clash offers a chance to restore some pride. For Nagelsmann, the pressure is mounting to find the right tactical and motivational formula.