Former Germany captain Lothar Matthäus comments on the team’s World Cup exit, arguing that off-field influences affected the squad. In remarks reported by the Daily Mail, Matthäus points to the role of “wives and girlfriends” at the German camp, saying their interference contributed to an unexpected or embarrassing tournament result. The reports frame Matthäus as linking the outcome to disruptions he believes occurred around the players’ environment during the competition. The same outlet also includes a separate claim attributed to Matthäus that the team “only participated for a free family holiday,” presenting his view that the focus or motivation within the camp was misplaced. The articles do not provide detailed evidence or specific incidents to substantiate these claims, and they do not include responses from Germany officials, players, or coaches. Overall, the coverage centers on Matthäus’s criticisms and his attribution of Germany’s performance to family-related presence and camp dynamics rather than on match-specific factors.