Mexico stunned holders Germany 1-0 in their opening World Cup match in Moscow on Sunday.
PSV Eindhoven winger Hirving Lozano fired the impressive Mexicans into a deserved 35th-minute lead and despite intense second-half pressure, Germany were unable to salvage an equaliser.
Joachim Loew’s side are attempting to become the first country since Brazil in 1962 to retain their title. But at the end of the day, they became the third defending champions in the last four World Cup finals to lose their opening match.
Mexico hit Germany on the counter repeatedly, and Germany had no response and 22-year-old Lozano grabbed his chance brilliantly.
Ultimately, 1-0 was a surprising scoreline, for a couple of reasons. First, of course, the defending champions lost. But more relevant to the 90 minutes that just went by, it was a flattering scoreline for Germany. Mexico could have won this by a much bigger margin
Equipo. 🙏🏼
— Selección Nacional (@miseleccionmx) June 17, 2018
¡VIVA, #MEX!
¡Queremos ver sus fotos festejando con el jersey!
📸: @MarcoFabian_10.#NadaNosDetiene | #Rusia2018 pic.twitter.com/rEG5L70aiF
In the process of this defeat at the World Cup:
Germany have 7-game winning streak in openers snapped, last loss coming in 1982.
Germany lose for the first time since 2010 against Spain, ending a 8-match unbeaten run.
Germany lose to CONCACAF team for the 1st time in 8 matches.
Mexico win first match against Germany in 4 attempts.
Understandably the result social media on fire, with Germany coming under fire...
Well deserved @miseleccionmxEN
— Michael Ballack (@Ballack) June 17, 2018
⚽️⚽️⚽️
The balance in the team is not right!! @DFB_Team_EN
No team spirit, hunger or enough Desire!#Löw ist gefordert !!!!!#WorldCup18 #worldcup #DieMannschaft #ZSMMN #GERMEX #WorldCupRussia2018
Struggling to think of a more dishevelled performance in a tournament game with Löw in charge. Maybe Croatia 2008? Ghana 2014 was bad, too, but not quite as bad this.
— Raphael Honigstein (@honigstein) June 17, 2018
Let's remember that Germany have the league with the longest winter break and the fewest games ... And they look knackered. #WorldCup
— Dale Johnson (@DaleJohnsonESPN) June 17, 2018
3 - This is the third consecutive World Cup in which the reigning champion has failed to win their opening match – Italy drew 1-1 with Paraguay in 2010, while Spain lost 5-1 against the Netherlands in 2014. Hangover.#GER #WorldCup pic.twitter.com/1hNQRlJY5l
— OptaJoe (@OptaJoe) June 17, 2018
1982 - Germany have lost their opening match at a World Cup for only the second time, also doing so in 1982 against Algeria. They went on to reach the final that year. Upset.#GERMEX #GER #WorldCup
— OptaJoe (@OptaJoe) June 17, 2018
Leroy Sane on holiday. #WorldCup pic.twitter.com/xjVcvCkmna
— Taylor Twellman (@TaylorTwellman) June 17, 2018
If I remember my history right, Germany has never performed particularly well in Russia.
— Ramesh Srivats (@rameshsrivats) June 17, 2018
Defending #FIFAWorldCup champions losing opening match..
— Mohandas Menon (@mohanstatsman) June 17, 2018
2018: Germany lost to Mexico 0-1
2014: Spain lost to Netherlands 1-5
2002: France lost to Senegal 0-1
1990: Argentina lost to Cameroon 0-1
1982: Argentina lost to Belgium 0-1
1950: Italy lost to Sweden 2-3#FifaWorldCup2018
But the story of the night was of course, Mexico’s fantastic performance...
Guillermo Ochoa is the 2nd goalkeeper in #WorldCup history with clean sheets vs Brazil AND Germany, joining Poland's Jan Tomaszewski in 1974 and 1978. pic.twitter.com/LkbcdHfkQ7
— ESPN Stats & Info (@ESPNStatsInfo) June 17, 2018
Now is the time for a Mexican wave. Fucking brilliant. 🙌 🙌 🙌
— Gary Lineker (@GaryLineker) June 17, 2018
Good line from #MEX coach Osorio in post-match press conference: "I told them to play for the love of winning and not the fear of losing."
— Martyn Ziegler (@martynziegler) June 17, 2018
Don’t forget Germany lost a game 1-0 (to Serbia) in 2010 but still won the group. Still see that as highly doable. But well done Mexico today. Perfect tactics and certainly makes it it interesting in the group.
— Derek Rae (@RaeComm) June 17, 2018
Kudos to 🇲🇽 & Juan Carlos Osorio for an excellent performance defeating the defending #WorldCup champions. Could have easily won by 2 or 3 goals. 👍🏼
— Taylor Twellman (@TaylorTwellman) June 17, 2018
The beautiful game. #WorldCup pic.twitter.com/2oRTRCYL5o
— B/R Football (@brfootball) June 17, 2018
Tears of joy from Javier Hernández. Such passion. Love that. 💪#WorldCup pic.twitter.com/jMbJkkfIpJ
— World Cup (@EPLBible) June 17, 2018
This World Cup is turning out to be one for the underdogs so far. First Iceland against Argentina, now Mexico beating a sluggish looking Germany!
— Harsha Bhogle (@bhogleharsha) June 17, 2018
What a result for #Mex ... What an upset! If you thought this was a superb tournament so far, well, this #worldcup has just gone mental!
— Chetan Narula (@chetannarula) June 17, 2018
...with some desi touch.
Dal roti khao, wow Mexico wow👍
— Baba Sehgal (@OnlyBabaSehgal) June 17, 2018
But there was plenty of ‘Wall’ tweets and those are the ones that got us chuckling...
TRUMP WOULD KILL FOR THIS WALL. VAMOS MEXICO!!! 🇲🇽 pic.twitter.com/fkNHU0zIVb
— mica (@micuhhx) June 17, 2018
Mexico built a wall around their goal and Germany paid for it.
— Matt Frei (@mattfrei) June 17, 2018
México just showed Donald Trump if your defense strategy is good, you don't need a wall.
— SIR .. (@SirJohnRoe) June 17, 2018
The Wall of Mexico 🇲🇽 pic.twitter.com/DhJj3Vump8
— Footy Jokes (@Footy_JokesOG) June 17, 2018
Forget Trump, the Mexicans have already built a solid wall! 😄😄#WorldCup #GERMEX
— Abhishek Iyer (@Iyertheterrible) June 17, 2018
Mexico built the wall. Sit down Germany.
— Tiga (@Tiga) June 17, 2018
What a match. What a World Cup this is turning into!