Top German officials praise team as players head home after Euro exit

The German host team left their Euro 2024 base camp on Saturday after their quarter-final exit the previous day, with officials praising the players for a strong tournament despite the heartbreak against Spain.

Players left the camp at the headquarters of sports goods maker Adidas in mini buses and private vehicles and will not meet again until September for Nations League matches against Hungary and the Netherlands.

Mikel Merino's 119th-minute header ended German dreams but sporting director Rudi Völler and German FA president Bernd Neuendorf saluted the team and coach Julian Nagelsmann one last time.

"We suffered a defeat but didn't fail. We will continue the path we have started. We remain positive and will come again," Neuendorf said.

"We can all be proud for what happened on and off the pitch," he added, saying the team won back the hearts of the fans in outstanndig fashion.

"I have to say that I had the feeling that people were really in a frenzy," he said.

Neuendorf said that Nagelsmann "redefined the coaching role" with his "unbelievable energy and spirit."

Appointed last September, former Bayern Munich coach Nagelsmann managed to turn around the team's fortunes this year, with the quarter-finals being Germany's best result at a big event since reaching the semis at Euro 2016.

Völler called the performances "remarkable" as Germany was returning to the elite in world football.

"It was our wish to play our way to the top of the world, and I think we've succeeded," he said, adding that the team "is not quite where we want to be because we would have then advanced another round or two."

Referring to Florian Wirtz's 89th-minute equalizer which forced extra time, he said: "Coming back from a deficit would have been considered impossible a few months ago."

He said the team with a pool of "good and young players" will continue in this way in the Nations League and next year's qualifying for the 2026 World Cup.