There was an endearing folksiness about Bettina Stark-Watzinger's tweet following the Germany team's exit. 

“I really would have liked to see you win,” wrote the country's education minister. “Cheer up, we are nevertheless proud of you!”

Such chirpiness amid the angst – probably part and parcel of the minister's portfolio.

“Some things are just not meant to be," said foreign minister Annalena Baerbock. "Chin up, dear DFB women.”

This exit will resound in the corridors of the football federation. In the previous eight World Cups, Germany reached at least the quarter-finals.

And that's exactly where they appeared to be heading after they began the tournament with a 6-0 thrashing of Morocco.

But that was so last month. Ten days on from that annihilation, Germany were on their way home and Morocco – who edged past Colombia 1-0 – were into the last-16.

That unexpected passage combined with South Africa and Nigeria's progress prompted a paean from Patrice Motsepe who heads the Confederation of African Football (CAF) which runs the game on the continent.

Praise

"The Super Falcons, the Atlas Lionesses and Banyana Banyana have made the people of Nigeria, Morocco and South Africa, as well as the people of the rest of the African continent, very proud with their outstanding performances and hard-earned victories," Motsepe enthused. 

"The future of women’s football on the African continent is bright."

But to a certain extent the teams should be reaching the knockout stages. They all featured in the semi-finals of the Africa Cup of Nations last year and though none of the trio won their pool, they deserve credit for their belief especially Morocco.

On Monday, before hosts Australia face Denmark in Sydney, Nigeria's Super Falcons will take on the European champions England at Brisbane Stadium while on 6 August South Africa's Banyana Banyana will play the Netherlands at the Sydney Football Stadium.

That match will be followed by an intriguing clash between the defending champions the United States and Sweden.

"We could be going home," said Megan Rapinoe after the side scraped into the last-16 with a 0-0 draw with Portugal on 1 August.

"We have to keep perspective. I've never been at a tournament where you think you're doing amazing all the time," added the 38-year-old who won the title with the US in 2015 and 2019.

"There's always someone saying: 'You're not good enough. You're not playing well enough.' We're through to the next game and that's the most important thing. You know that's what it's really all about."

Truly sagacious especially when three of the world's top 10 teams – Germany, Canada and Brazil – have been dispatched.

Departure

Brazil's departure meant the end of the veteran striker Marta.

 "Twenty years ago, nobody knew who Marta was at my first World Cup," she said – speaking in the third person. "Twenty years later, we have become a reference for many women all over the world, not only in football.

"The only old one in the team is me, most of the others are young girls with enormous talent, it's just the beginning for them.

"Marta ends here, there is no more World Cup for Marta."

At 37, she leaves as the tournament's most prolific scorer with 17 goals during her six World Cups.

Jamaica did for Marta with a 0-0 draw that took them from Group F into the knockout stages for the first time. Their clash with Colombia on 8 August at the Melbourne Rectangular Stadium should be intriguing.

"I said if after the first game that we're here to shock the world," said Jamaica midfielder Drew Spence.

"And I think we've done that. The country is so small but look at what we've done. We've got out of one of the toughest groups. Everyone wrote us off but we're really proud of one another."

Morocco's clash with France at the Hindmarsh Stadium in Adelaide will end the last-16 action on Tuesday afternoon. France will go into the game as favourites .

France boss Hervé Renard vented his spleen after the 6-3 victory over Panama which secured their status as Group F winners.

"We were 5-1 up, with the game in the bag," said Renard. "You see this often in football. It was poor attitude from the girls for a few minutes that let them come back and score two goals.

"The devil is in the detail in games like this, and this shows the younger girls not to take anything for granted."

Dedication

Renard's counterpart at the helm of Morocco, Reynald Pedros, assured himself of everlasting royal patronage by dedicating qualification to the last-16 to King Mohammed VI.

"He supported us after the defeat to Germany," said the 51-year-old Frenchman. "We knew that he was behind us and gave us a lot of strength for the other games."

The king has also obtained a good boast. Morocco became the first Arab country to reach the last-16.

"It's absolutely brilliant," added Pedros who has been in charge of the national team since November 2022.

But outfoxing Renard on Tuesday would appear – on paper – to be beyond the Moroccans. France lie fifth in the Fifa world rankings – 67 places above Pedros's players who will go into the game as underdogs.

"I know the France team well," said Pedros. "It's a squad with lots of good players with lots of experience but if we show the same resolve and desire we can do something. It's the knockout stages from here," Pedros added. "Anything can happen."

Just the sort of stakes and spectacle the tournament needs.

[RFi]