World Cup: Alan Shearer leads English fans in mocking Germany after shock exit

Alan Shearer led the way as English football fans mocked Germany after the four-time World Cup winners crashed out of the tournament at the first hurdle. Hansi Flick's team finished third in the group after Japan recorded a shock 2-1 win over Spain in their final group game.

Japan's winning goal was shrouded in controversy with many claiming that the ball had gone out of play before it was tapped into the net. However, VAR checked and ruled that the goal was legitimate. This sent the Blue Samurais into the round of 16 as the winners of Group E.

Despite the loss, Spain made it to the knockout rounds due to a superior goal difference over Germany. English supporters showed no sympathy towards their European counterparts as they claimed it was revenge for Frank Lampard's disallowed goal against Germany at the 2010 World Cup.

Shearer was among the first to share his joy after Germany were knocked out of the World Cup. The former England striker shared a tweet alongside a video that shows him in rapture with fellow pundits Micah Richards and Gary Lineker - the video was cut from a different show just to put his point across.

Three Lions supporters quickly followed with messages of their own on various social channels. Lampard's "ghost goal" was continuously referenced with fans glad to see Germany being paid back in similar fashion after Japan's winner against Spain looked like it should not have stood with pictures showing the ball was out of play.

One fan declared: "Justice for Lampard. He got 0 World Cup goals cause of that," as quoted by The Sun.

Another poked fun at VAR claiming: "Clearly Frank Lampard is in the VAR control room, taking his revenge on Germany for the 2010 'not goal'."

Even former Crystal Palace and Leeds United manager Neil Warnock did not hold back from mocking Germany. He wrote: "What goes around comes around," with a laughing emoji.

Germany have now been eliminated from the group stage of the World Cup for the second consecutive time following their early exit from the tournament in Russia in 2018. Flick's team became the second big casualty of the tournament after FIFA's number two ranked team Belgium were sent packing earlier in the day.