The Qatar 2022 campaign
Germany lost to Japan, drew with Spain and beat Costa Rica. Four points left them level with Spain but behind on goal difference, ending their campaign in Group E. The last game provided the goals and victory Germany needed from that fixture, but Japan's simultaneous win changed the qualification calculation beyond their control.
Reading the record
Germany recorded 1 win, 1 draw and 1 defeat across 3 matches, scoring 6 goals and conceding 5. FIFA’s match summaries record 24 attempts on target from 67 total attempts during their campaign.
Shoot-outs decide which team advances, but their kicks are excluded from the goal totals above. Matches decided on penalties count as draws in this win–draw–loss record; extra-time goals count towards the match score.
Matches to revisit
Japan created the early deficit in points; Costa Rica shows why a final-round win was necessary but insufficient.
Final Group E standings
Germany finished third with 4 points. The top two teams advanced to the round of 16.
| Team | P | GF | GA | GD | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Japan | 3 | 4 | 3 | 1 | 6 |
| Spain | 3 | 9 | 3 | 6 | 4 |
| Germany | 3 | 6 | 5 | 1 | 4 |
| Costa Rica | 3 | 3 | 11 | -8 | 3 |
The route, match by match
- 23 Nov · Group E
Germany 1–2 Japan ↗
Japan change the second half
Khalifa International Stadium · 16:00 Qatar time
Match context & statistics - 27 Nov · Group E
Spain 1–1 Germany ↗
Germany stay in the contest
Al Bayt Stadium · 22:00 Qatar time
Match context & statistics - 1 Dec · Group E
Costa Rica 2–4 Germany ↗
Germany win the match, but not qualification
Al Bayt Stadium · 22:00 Qatar time
Match context & statistics
Sources and method
FIFA’s complete Qatar 2022 match-report hub ↗
Campaign totals are calculated from Germany’s match results and the individual FIFA statistical reports linked on each match page. The overview is an editorial retrospective by Qatar22 Editorial.