The German national football team lost its next match. The DFB team lost to Colombia 0:2 (0:0) on Schalke.

The sporting highlight of an evening that the German national team would prefer to forget immediately was provided by Juan Cuadrado. However, his talent with the ball at his foot was only the trigger. The Colombian attacker turned a somersault in front of the south curve of the Schalker Arena to cheer.

The professionals of the DFB team didn’t even want to look anymore. Cuadrado’s goal (82nd) after a hand penalty, caused by substitute captain Joshua Kimmich, sealed the final score. The 0:2 (0:0) against Colombia with goals by Luis Diaz (54.) and Cuadrado in the last international match of the season in front of 50,421 spectators in Gelsenkirchen was the fourth winless match in a row for the German team. Instead of slowly creating a mood of optimism, the DFB team is in a deep crisis of purpose one year before the European Championship.

“360 days to go” was written on the advertising boards before the match. Euro 2024 is drawing ever closer – and since yesterday it also has a mascot. Tournament director Philipp Lahm (39) presented a still nameless teddy bear with a colourful shirt at the Berger Feld Comprehensive School in Gelsenkirchen, cooperation partner of the Schalke Knappenschmiede. The name of the mascot can be voted on until 5 July on the website of the European Football Union (Uefa). The suggestions are “Albärt”, “Bärnardo”, “Bärnheart”, and “Herzi von Bär”.

Hansi Flick, the national coach, made five changes compared to the 1-0 defeat against Poland in Warsaw on Friday evening. First of all, midfielder Joshua Kimmich was surprisingly on the bench. Florian Wirtz, Benjamin Henrichs, Jonas Hofmann and Thilo Kehrer also had to make way. Emre Can replaced Thilo Kehrer in the back three alongside Antonio Rüdiger and Malick Thiaw, the bright spot of the Poland game. Robin Gosens and Marius Wolf played on the wings. Also new: Leon Goretzka for Kimmich, Leroy Sané for Wirtz – and Champions League winner Ilkay Gündogan gave a mixture of left wing and playmaker in his first and only international appearance this June.

Unlike hoped, however, the Manchester City captain did not bring structure to the German game. The DFB team had a lot of possession but, as against Ukraine (3:3) and Poland, struggled to break down the opposing defence. Long passes were their only means – in the 19th minute, for example, when Wolf served the incoming Gosens, but the latter failed to get a decisive shot on goal. It was much more the Colombians who put the German team under pressure. Yerry Mina had moved forward in the 14th minute, Juan Cuadrado crossed into the middle – but the defender headed to the left of the goal. Shortly afterwards, goalkeeper Marc-André ter Stegen intercepted a header from Eintracht Frankfurt’s Rafael Borré (19th).

The bustling South Americans became more and more confident, the Germans made careless mistakes. Borré ran down a weak back pass from Rüdiger and crossed to Luis Diaz. The attacker, who is under contract with Liverpool FC, appeared free in front of ter Stegen – but Thiaw intervened at the last moment (28.). Only two minutes later, ter Stegen had to make a huge effort to deflect Mina’s shot over the bar. At the end of the first half, the visitors were the better team.

And yet the uninspired DFB team almost cheated itself out of the lead because of its outstanding individual class. Musiala left his opponent standing. Pass to Kai Havertz, a dipping shot into Musiala’s path. At least one scene of high football art. But the finish was not precise enough to overcome Camilo Vargas in the Colombian goal. Whistles for the break.

The whistles grew louder as the second half continued to lack ideas. Not for the Colombians, they were waiting for the Germans to make mistakes. Emre Can made one in the 54th minute. The Dortmund player lost the ball and the South Americans, who did not qualify for the World Cup in Qatar, calmly shifted play to the right. There Cuadrado crossed, in the penalty area Diaz headed – 1:0, no chance for ter Stegen.

Flick then switched to a four-man defence. Offensively, the team tried to play more often on the wings with Gosens as an asset. But everything was not as precise and structured as it should have been to threaten the world number 17. In addition, a target player was missing in the middle. Niclas Füllkrug, the classic nine, only came on for Can after 67 minutes. On the other side, Cuadrado made sure of the decision with a handball penalty.