All or nothing – German national team in Qatar documentary reviewed

The 2022 World Cup in Qatar brings up nightmares for German fans and probably former Bayern Munich manager Hansi Flick alike, and the newly released Amazon Prime documentary will do the same.

The latest All or Nothing mini-series was released on September 7th. The series captured exclusive behind-the-scenes coverage as the four-time winner’s tournament, came to a devastating halt.

Episode 1 follows the team’s journey to the World Cup, with the Nations League defeat against Hungary as well as the training camp. As many following the tournament remember, there was no shortage of controversy surrounding the Qatar-hosted tournament.

This is showcased throughout the tournament and you can see just how much pressure came from German fans on their participation in the tournament. The reports of the severity of these tensions were no joke.

Episode 2 shows the days leading up to their first match as well as the crushing defeat against Japan. And it was no surprise to see the team collapse when you look behind the scenes. The armband decision divided the locker room in two, and the vibes were clearly off.

Even right up until the first match coaches and players discuss it at lunch or any time. There was no anticipation for the game whatsoever. You’ll never win with something like that on your mind. That loss against Japan hurts just as much in the rewatch and it is easy to forget just how many chances Germany had that match.

Episode 3 features numerous players are late to a meeting, including Armel Bella-Kotchap. You would think a guy with so little experience and reputation would be a little more careful and on time. Brandt, though, showed up late twice and you can tell Flick was seriously upset. Brandt only played 19 minutes this tournament, despite some excellent play with Dortmund. It also really seemed like the base camp area was a miss. Players driving three hours round trip just for a 10-minute conference is comical. That can’t be good for any player in the World Cup. The result against Spain was good, a big step Germany needed to make, of course, it was ultimately too late.

Episode 4 showcased the final preparations ahead of matchday 3. By this point, the table became quite a mess and all kinds of scenarios of draws, wins, and goal differences came into play. Thomas Müller had the perfect attitude saying that if they won 34-0 though, nothing could be done to stop Germany from coming through.

The real challenge was that even if Japan managed to win, Germany could still miss out on the next stage thanks to Spain’s massive win over Costa Rica, giving them a much favorable goal difference heading into matchday 3.

Germany was optimistic though, clearly in their best mood since arriving in Qatar. The most painful stat is that Germany had more shots than any other team in the first two games, with only two goals to their name, and one from open play — all of that talent, but no results. It was so upsetting to see the team after the win, and still go home. The players who played in 2018 also look especially devastated.

The series ends off with a question for Flick, whether or not he has ever considered quitting. He says “no” as it rolls to credits, but now fast forward to Germany’s present situation and that decision has been made for him as he has now been sacked. This international break was a do-or-die scenario but has now been the latter of the two.

It should be an enjoyable series for neutral fans, and while it does not bring back happy memories for Germany ultras, it provides a lot of insight into what actually happened in Qatar. You have to feel bad for these players as it just didn’t go their way. Niclas Füllkrug was the star of the show, stealing a bunch of the screen time, always smiling. Sort of the Daniel Ricciardo of Germany, one could say.

As for Germany, there is a lot of work to be done, but at least fans will have a lasting memory of forgetful times for the national team. Can’t say that the team will be in a rush to have this many cameras around anytime soon.

Looking for more Germany analysis? The Japan game may spell the end for Hansi Flick, but how much blame do the players deserve? We talk about that and so much more in our latest podcast episode! Listen to it below or on Spotify.

As always, we appreciate all the support!