Newspaper hits back at Mertesacker after Italy criticism and Germany elimination: ‘Karma’

Newspaper hits back at Mertesacker after Italy criticism and Germany elimination: ‘Karma’ Per Mertesacker’s recent comments on the Italy national team have not gone down particularly well on the peninsula, and now, journalists are firing back at the former Arsenal and Werder Bremen defender following Germany’s surprise elimination from the 2026 World Cup: ‘Karma’. Mertesacker under fire in Italy after ‘naive’ World Cup insult It is fast-approaching the 20th anniversary of Italy’s iconic 2-0 extra-time victory over Germany in the semi-final of the 2006 World Cup. It was a memorable occasion in Dortmund, ultimately settled by Fabio Grosso and Alessandro Del Piero in the 199th and 121st minutes, but it also brought an ugly exchange between the media in both nations beforehand, reverting to condescending stereotypes and finger-pointing for the recent Calciopoli scandal that had exploded in the months leading up to the 2006 World Cup. Fast-forward 20 years later and the media in Germany and Italy are going at each other once again: Mertesacker finds himself in the middle of it and is now being laughed at for the ‘karma’ that has come his way over the last few days. During a recent broadcast on ZDF in Germany, Mertesacker and fellow ex-Germany international Christoph Kramer discussed the absence of the Italy national team from the 2006 World Cup . STUTTGART, GERMANY – JUNE 19: Former players of Germany, Christoph Kramer and Per Mertesacker, react prior to the UEFA EURO 2024 group stage match between Germany and Hungary at Stuttgart Arena on June 19, 2024 in Stuttgart, Germany. (Photo by Alexander Hassenstein/Getty Images) It was put to the former Germany internationals that they had not discussed the absence of Italy during their World Cup broadcasts and they were also asked how much of a shame it is to see the four-time champions sat at home this summer. “Absolutely not, they don’t deserve to be talked about,” Mertesacker replied. He later added: “How much that team has changed! It was a world-class team when we lost in the semi-final of the 2006 World Cup 20 years ago. 20 years later, you have to search long and hard to find a world-class player.” MUNICH, GERMANY – OCTOBER 14: Per Mertesacker looks on prior to the UEFA Nations League 2024/25 League A Group A3 match between Germany and Netherlands at on October 14, 2024 in Munich, Germany. (Photo by Adam Pretty/Getty Images) These comments have not gone down too well back in Italy, and La Gazzetta dello Sport journalist Luigi Garlando has taken an opportunity to fire back following Germany’s shock elimination from the 2026 World Cup, on penalties against Paraguay in the round of 32, just a few days after Mertesacker made those remarks about Italy. He noted that whilst the wound of the 2006 semi-final must still burn, his comments on the current Italy set-up were ‘poor’ and ‘naive’. Garlando also referred to the newspaper articles that came out in Germany back in 2006 that referred to the Italy national team as ‘parasites’, ‘being slimy’ and publishing mocking photos of them training on slices of pizza. He argues that everyone still thinks about Italy ‘because a national team that has won four World Cups cannot be erased’. BERLIN – JULY 09: The Italian players celebrate as Fabio Cannavaro of Italy lifts the World Cup trophy aloft following victory in a penalty shootout at the end of the FIFA World Cup Germany 2006 Final match between Italy and France at the Olympic Stadium on July 9, 2006 in Berlin, Germany. (Photo by Shaun Botterill/Getty Images) He concluded by suggesting that the Germans and Italians should get together for a pizza party to commemorate the 20th anniversary of the Italy vs. Germany semi-final in 2006, which by sheer coincidence, is also the date of the Paraguay vs. France round of 16 clash at the 2026 World Cup, which would have featured Germany had they not lost in the round of 32.