As the final whistle blew in Brisbane, signaling Germany's departure from the Women's World Cup a full 17 days before the ultimate showdown, the emotions on the pitch were overwhelming.

Some players dropped to their knees in tears, while others appeared dazed, drifting ghost-like across the field, struggling to grasp the reality of what had just occurred.

Speaking through disbelief, team captain Alexandra Popp candidly expressed her feelings after the 1-1 draw with South Korea sealed their World Cup dreams' premature end.

With her hands on her head and cheeks puffed out in astonishment, she said, "To be honest, I can't comprehend it. I don't know what I should really say. I can't really understand what has happened, to be honest. Yeah, no idea."

For a team like Germany, this unfamiliar territory is unsettling. They boast two World Cup titles and have topped their group in eight out of nine Women's World Cups they've competed in. Ranked second in the world and recently finalists in Euro 2022, few could have predicted their failure to advance from a group that included Colombia, Morocco, and South Korea.

"This is the biggest shock in the women's game," commented former England midfielder Fara Williams to BBC Two.

Adding to the astonishment, Germany's men's team faced a similar fate just nine months ago, making it an unthinkable double setback for the football powerhouse.

Germany boss Martina Voss-Tecklenburg acknowledged the magnitude of the situation, saying, "If you want to see a disaster in terms of sport, it's hard to argue against that. What we need to do is rise again and not give up.

We love this sport. Of course, you cannot expect a deep analysis yet. We need to let it sink in. I don't want to look for excuses in anything."