Germany failed to bounce back from a shock 2-1 loss to the Samurai Blue on matchday one, falling to a second consecutive group-stage departure as Japan and Spain advanced from Group E.
Prior to that match, Germany's players protested FIFA's decision to forbid captain Manuel Neuer from donning the OneLove armband, which was meant to spread an anti-discriminatory message in Qatar, where homosexuality is prohibited, by covering their mouths during a team photo.
Denying us the armband is the same as denying us a voice, the team declared in a statement, although some, most notably Belgium winger Eden Hazard, thought the protest may have diverted Germany's players.
That notion was accepted by Wenger, the leader of FIFA's Technical Study Group for the competition, who stated: "When you go to a World Cup, you know you can't lose the first game."
"The teams who were mentally ready, with a mindset to focus on competition, and not the political demonstrations," said one official, "the teams who had the experience to perform in tournaments like France and England fared well in the first game."
After Germany's loss to Japan, coach Hansi Flick stated that his team's choice to take a position on the OneLove controversy had "not at all" diverted their attention.
Before the World Cup, some European teams, including Germany, who had earlier pledged to wear the armband, changed their minds amid what appeared to be the threat of disciplinary action from the sport.