Gary Lineker: “Football is a simple game -- 22 men chase a ball for 90 minutes and at the end, the Germans always win”
Germany start their World Cup campaign against Curaçao on Saturday. The other teams in Group E are Ivory Coast and Ecuador.
At 1 p.m. ET on Saturday, Germany opens its World Cup campaign against Curaçao, and if the bookmakers and pundits are correct, Gary Lineker’s most famous quote, “Football is a simple game -- 22 men chase a ball for 90 minutes and at the end, the Germans always win”, is likely to prove true.
Germany enters the match as a heavy favorite. The four-time world champions are ranked 10th in the FIFA World Ranking, while Curaçao sits 82nd. The Caribbean nation is also the smallest country ever to appear at a World Cup, both in population and land area.
The match is the first in a Group E that also includes Ecuador and Ivory Coast.
When did Lineker say his famous Germans quote
Lineker’s famous line dates back to the 1990 World Cup semifinal between England and West Germany. After a 1-1 draw, England lost on penalties despite Lineker scoring both during the match and in the shootout. Frustrated by another German triumph on the biggest stage, the England striker delivered the quote that would follow him for the rest of his career.
At the time, it felt impossible to argue. West Germany went on to lift the trophy that summer, adding to World Cup titles won in 1954 and 1974. Germany would later add a fourth star in Brazil in 2014, reinforcing its reputation as one of international soccer’s ultimate tournament teams.
Did Lineker ever revise his Germans quote
Yet even Lineker eventually had to admit the quote no longer fit reality.
After Germany crashed out in the group stage of the 2018 World Cup, the first time the defending champions had failed to reach the knockout rounds since 1938, Lineker rewrote his famous line.
“Football is a simple game. Twenty-two men chase a ball for 90 minutes and at the end, the Germans no longer always win. Previous version is confined to history.”
So which version of the quote will define Germany at World Cup 2026?
Most prediction models and betting markets entered the tournament with six clear favorites: France, Spain, England, Portugal, Argentina and Brazil. Germany was generally placed in the tier just below, alongside the Netherlands.
That does not mean Germany should be ignored.
Nobody would describe a German World Cup triumph as a Cinderella story. This is still a nation with one of the richest histories in international soccer. A team featuring Florian Wirtz and Jamal Musiala possesses enough talent to trouble anyone, and Germany’s traditional strengths remain intact: organization, tactical discipline and an ability to control possession.
The question is whether Germany has enough firepower. Kai Havertz is expected to lead the line, but critics have wondered whether the squad contains enough natural finishers to convert dominance into goals.
For now, though, Lineker’s original quote still feels relevant. Against Curaçao, the smart money says Germany wins, and handsomely. Whether the Germans can keep winning all the way to next month’s final is another matter.
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