Franz Beckenbauer has claimed England look ‘burnt out’ ahead of their World Cup last-16 clash with Germany following a gruelling Premier League season.
England’s failure to win Group C means they will meet Group D winners Germany in the first knockout phase match in Bloemfontein on Sunday afternoon, and Beckenbauer would rather have seen the two sides go head to head later in the competition.
“A game like this should be a semi-final, not a last-16 game,” Beckenbauer told Germany’s Bild newspaper. “Unfortunately, the English have slipped up a little by finishing second in their group.”
Read the full report over at the Guardian website.