Bayern Munich and Germany forward Thomas Mueller has shot down rumours of a pending international retirement, saying on Monday he will "always be available" for selection.

Former World Cup winner Jurgen Klinsmann said the tournament in Qatar has shown the need for risk-taking players such as Kylian Mbappe and Lionel Messi.

In my family, short trips were the norm. I would tag along with my parents even on some business trips. These were not exactly sightseeing trips, although some side excursions were always baked in. Those visits, prosaic to some, still drew me because there were always a few things in them that excited my senses. I’d scoop up and relish every opportunity just as the thirsty hands collect water and stay tightly together to keep every bit from slipping through. Lush countryside dotted with little villages, roadside hot tea, and unpaved roads bisecting the green fields were all a treat.

Germany have enough quality to become a dominant force in football again but one thing that is currently missing is their strength in defending which helped them win four World Cups, coach Hansi Flick said after they were knocked out on Thursday.

Germany forward Thomas Mueller said his country's exit from the World Cup at the group stage for the second tournament in a row on Thursday was an "absolute catastrophe".

No wins in their opening two matches, including a 2-1 shock against Japan, have left Germany reeling at bottom of Group E, meaning they must win against Costa Rica and then rely on 2010 champions Spain to beat Japan in order to remain in contention for qualification.

From BNP rally to World, here's everything you need to know.

Germany coach Hansi Flick has no plans to step down if the four-time world champions crash out of the World Cup early for the second straight tournament, he said on Wednesday.

Stephanie Frappart will become the first woman to referee a men's World Cup match after FIFA announced on Tuesday that she will take charge of Thursday's Group E match between Germany and Costa Rica.

Pundit and former German international striker Sandro Wagner apologised on Monday for his "ill considered" remark when he commented on the World Cup match between Germany and Spain the day before for the German TV channel ZDF.

Spain could be given a taste of their own medicine when they take on Germany in a potentially decisive clash at the World Cup on Sunday because both European heavyweights seek to control games by dominating possession, Spain coach Luis Enrique said.

The Germany-Japan World Cup match on Wednesday prompted record access numbers for Japanese online streaming platform Abema, while viewership in Germany more than halved from the national team's opening match four years ago, data showed.

Japan produced a stunning comeback to shock Germany in their World Cup opener on Wednesday after the four-time champions staged a powerful protest against FIFA's refusal to allow rainbow-themed armbands, while Spain started in style by putting seven past Costa Rica.

Japan's Bundesliga players took matters into their own hands in their 2-1 comeback win over Germany in Group E of the World Cup on Wednesday, giving their opponents a taste of their own medicine.

Four-times world champions Germany will kick-off their World Cup campaign against Japan desperate to put the 2018 debacle behind them when the 2014 champions lost their first group match and crashed out in the first round, their earliest exit in over 80 years.

Germany begin their path to World Cup redemption on Wednesday after the 2018 horror show in Russia, with Spain and Croatia also kicking off their campaigns in Qatar.

Germany's teenage sensation Jamal Musiala on Monday credited his England youth period for helping him develop his creative game that has quickly turned him into one of the rising stars of the sport.

Germany team official Oliver Bierhoff said Saturday he "could not understand the decision" to ban beer from stadium perimeters at the Qatar World Cup.

Some of these took players and fans years to live down, others simply cannot be forgotten.

When Germany kick off their Qatar World Cup campaign against Japan next week, the projector screens at Berlin's Fargo football bar will be in their unusual rolled-up position.