The German host team left their Euro 2024 base camp on Saturday and coach Julian Nagelsmann revealed that many tears flowed until deep in the night following the quarter-final exit against Spain.
Nagelsmann told reporters on Saturday that the players sat together for hours and wished they could play the final minutes again after being ousted by Mikel Merino's 119th-minute header.
"We would have liked to have given the fans more. We would have liked to have won the title," Nagelsmann said.
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.
Praise from Neuendorf
Sporting director Rudi Völler and German FA president Bernd Neuendorf saluted the team and 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 outstandig 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.
Gap to the top has closed - Völler
Völler called the performances "remarkable" as Germany have returned to the elite in world football after two World Cup group-stage exits in a row.
"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.
Core of squad to stay
Nagelsmann said that the core of the team remains intact, although it was not fully clear yet whether goalkeeper Manuel Neuer and forward Thomas Müller would continue.
Midfielder Toni Kroos has now retired from all football but Nagelsmann said he expects captain Ilkay Gündogan to continue.
He spoke of additions to the squad rather than a major overhaul as the next target is the 2026 World Cup in the United States, Mexico and Canada.
"A golden Cup is also quite nice," Nagelsman said in reference to the World Cup trophy Germany has lifted four times in the past.
Nagelsmann's contract was initially until the Euros but was extended in April until 2026.
"I'm very happy that I've extended my contract. I'm also looking forward to fighting hard again, but you have to give me a few days, I need them," Nagelsmann said.
Chancellor Olaf Scholz hailed the performance of the Germany men's team despite their elimination.
"Unfortunately, we didn't make it further," he said during a citizens' dialogue in Weimar. "But I want to explicitly say: what our team achieved there was already great. And this is also a sign of what we are capable of in Germany."
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