And it did n't particularly like what it saw .
Following the 1998 World Cup , in which Germany suffered a humiliating 3 - 0 defeat to Croatia in the quarterfinals , German football took a good long look at its collective self in the mirror .
It did n't particularly like what it saw .
Following the 1998 World Cup , in which Germany suffered a humiliating 3 - 0 defeat to Croatia in the quarterfinals , German football took a good long look at its collective self in the mirror .