'How sad!' says Merkel spokesman after Germany World Cup exit

The defending champion's 2-0 defeat against South Korea plunged the fans in mourning.

Football-mad Germany was plunged into mourning after the title holder was knocked out of the group stages for the first time since 1938.

Chancellor Angela Merkel's spokesman shared the shock of a nation over Germany's stunning World Cup exit Wednesday, tweeting “How sad!” after the defending champion's 2-0 defeat against South Korea.

“Not our World Cup - How sad! There will be other tournaments where we can cheer again,” Steffen Seibert wrote.

Football-mad Germany was plunged into mourning after the title holder was knocked out of the group stages for the first time since 1938.

“A historic disgrace,” Der Spiegel news weekly called it.

“Speechless,” read a tweet on the German team's official Twitter account.

At Berlin's fan mile, supporters had begun leaving even before the final whistle blew.

“These aren't world champions, they didn't fight at all,” fumed 27-year-old Oliver Fischer, wearing a Germany jersey.

“We absolutely deserved to be out. We had no fight, no courage, no ideas!”