Germany have endured three straight disappointing World Cups. Experts say the reasons why are connected to football, but also to German society.Philipp Lahm has said German football's biggest problem is a lack of an identity. Toni Kroos believes Germany don't have world-class talent. Mats Hummels has spoken of issues in the system. There are plenty of opinions and arguments to choose from when it comes to why Germany endured a third straight World Cup disappointment. Frank Wormuth, a former player, German Football Association (DFB) coach-educator, first-division coach in the Netherlands, and currently a mental coach, believes the context of the team matters. "It's not about the playing philosophy. It's about the quality of the players within that playing philosophy," Wormuth said. "You have to look at it separately—our top talents are still talents. (Florian) Wirtz had a less-than-ideal season in Liverpool. (Jamal) Musiala was out with an injury for a long time. (Leroy) Sane seems to remain the eternal prospect. What do you expect now? "So, right off the bat, you have three very important players on the field responsible for creativity who weren’t at peak form. And that has nothing to do with (head coach Julian) Nagelsmann. It’s a matter of individual form. (Kai) Havertz is just the way he is. He scores goals every now and then, but he thrives on passes. Then Havertz, the one penalty taker you are sure of, misses a penalty. These are all little things, and I’d say that at this level, little things make all the difference. And that’s why it didn’t work out so well for us in attack, even though that was actually our strength." Wormuth also cities the example of Nico Schlotterbeck, whose injury early in the tournament was seen as a crucial blow to Germany's chances. "He gets injured and suddenly everything falls apart because we’re missing a left-footed player who can open up the play with his build-up. That’s a one-dimensional way of looking at it," Wormuth said. "The question is, are we really that good defensively? Just look at the other teams and how they use their bodies to challenge opponents. We don't do that anymore. I can clearly see that we have problems defensively in one-on-one situations." Germany team impacted by system structure and societal change With relatively recent changes made to Germany's youth system, it feels misplaced to suggest youth football requires a complete overhaul. After all, the impact of the recent changes won't be felt for years to come. However, with character being another area questioned by those analyzing Germany's latest World Cup exit, there are case studies from abroad that might spark consideration in terms of the development of young players in Germany. Mark O'Sullivan, an associate professor of football at the Norwegian School of Sport Sciences in Oslo, highlights Bodo/Glimt's approach. Writing in his blog, O'Sullivan explains how the way the football club shaped their environment positively impacted their performance on the field. In the season just finished, the club based in the small city north of the Arctic Circle reached the round of 16 in the Champions League. "One of the key reasons for this success is the club’s strong emphasis on shared values, culture, and player development," O'Sullivan wrote. "The club promotes principles such as trust, humility, collective responsibility, and continuous improvement. Under the leadership of head coach Kjetil Knutsen, Bodo/Glimt has developed a distinctive playing style characterized by a strong teamwork ethic. Knutsen has emphasized a learning-oriented environment in which players are encouraged to take responsibility, support one another, and constantly seek improvement." Has Germany gone soft? "Ultimately, the reason Germany isn't successful comes down to culture, training, and youth development," Wormuth said. "The most important thing of all is mindset, and that has changed. Now you might ask, 'How?' Well, I'll tell you: Society. School. Upbringing. Parents. Culture. Things have changed. And when Ecuador really goes after Germany, albeit still fairly, and we can’t hold our own, then it’s a cultural thing. They have a completely different culture of survival than we do. And that’s why I say that’s what we’re missing. And it’s not a matter of coach development or even academy training. No, it’s society. And you can’t change that overnight," he explained. "We develop everyone like Spanish players, but without having their mentality. "It's a cultural issue. Society is always reflected a little bit in football, or vice versa. We've become soft in many social situations over the last few years." Such assessments are hard to quantify, but if softness is seen as a person, policy or object that has lost its original edge, firmness or discipline, then it would be fair to say German football currently looks like an example of this. Perhaps Germany can take inspiration from a country close by. O'Sullivan believes the importance of meaningfulness in the provision of facilities has played a key role in Norway's success in elite sport. "A football pitch, sports hall, park, or ski trail does not generate participation simply because it exists and proximity to facilities does not necessarily translate into participation. This is what might be called the spatial fallacy. Unfortunately, this is often a typical assumption in planning, public health and sport policy." This year, the German government has pledged to invest €333 million ($380 million) in the renovation of 314 sports facilities throughout the country, modernizing them and making them more sustainable. Herein lies the crux of O'Sullivan's point. The upgrading of these facilities cannot be seen as the only step towards creating a meaningful connection to sport for Germany's youth. It must only be the beginning. The same is true for Jürgen Klopp's expected appointment as Germany's new men's head coach. German football has reached a watershed moment. What it decides to do next will be remembered for years to come. Edited by: Chuck Penfold