In 2014, Germany become world champions after an extra-time 1-0 win over Argentina in Brazil. Die Mannschaft looked set for a period of domination in the international game, similar to the one Spain had enjoyed from 2008 until 2012.

However, Joachim Low’s side are suddenly struggling to avoid defeat, let alone record victories. Die Mannschaft’s biggest low point was failing to get out of their group at World Cup 2018, which is still fresh in the mind of the German psyche.

Rot had set in before the World Cup

In truth, Germany had endured a poor set of results prior to the World Cup. If most other teams had experienced the sort of preparation that Die Mannschaft had, then they would have been written off as potential challengers long before the tournament had started.

However, this was Germany, who breezed through qualifying and had the majority of their games since becoming world champions. Those pre-World Cup results were a sign of things to come in Russia.

The then-world champions lost to Mexico in their group opener before beating Sweden, only to suffer a shock 2-0 defeat against South Korea to exit the competition. The defeat against South Korea will remain one of the biggest shocks of a World Cup for a long time to come. With the talent available to boss Joachim Low, it really was incredible that the Germans flopped so badly in Russia.

Question marks over Low’s position

Germany suffered a 3-0 defeat at the hands of bitter rivals the Netherlands on Saturday evening in the Nations League. The defeat means that Die Mannschaft have won just three of their last 12 international matches, which by their ridiculously high standards is a woeful record.

The defeat in the Netherlands led to further questions over the future of head coach Joachim Low, who future in the job was already in question after his team’s dreadful World Cup displays.

However, according to reports from Germany, DFB president Reinhardt Grindel is reluctant to fire the former World Cup-winning boss. Low’s contract does not expire until 2022 and it seems unlikely that he will resign any time soon.

Could get worse in France

On Tuesday night, Germany face a trip to France in the Nations League. Die Mannschaft are major underdogs to win the clash. However, they Germany did hold the world champions to a goalless draw in the reverse fixture.

Low’s side will need to massively up their game to avoid further embarrassment in France, as Les Bleus will be keen to secure a victory after the goalless draw last time out between the pair.

Usually, a game between the two teams would be a relatively even contest. However, the two teams form suggests that Low’s and his team’s problems could well get worse in Paris on Tuesday night.

Joachim Low needs to turn things around quickly or the DFB may have no choice but to replace him as the national team boss in the near future.

Can Germany avoid defeat against France on Tuesday night?