Photographs: Julian Finney/Getty Images
"The main thing is we won and we’re in the final eight and that’s what counts. What do you want from me? Do you think that this is a circus band? We fought to the end.”
Germany’s central defender Per Mertesacker said after his team scraped past plucky Algeria to make the quarters.
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'If we play with this kind of heart, we can really succeed'
Photographs: Leonhard Foeger/Reuters
“We’ve acquired a lot of experience and this generation can achieve great things. Our objective is now to win the Nations Cup. If we play with this kind of heart, we can really succeed.”
Algeria captain Madjid Bougherra is confident that his teammates have the fire to achieve bigger things in international football.
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'It's not a stroll in the park in the World Cup'
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"It's not a stroll in the park in the World Cup. There are always some matches like this in a tournament where you have teams that fight hard, where the opponents are defending really tough and playing aggressively."
Germany coach Joachim Loew brushes aside criticism of his team after their unconvincing victory over Algeria.
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'I did not doubt his ability and he played a remarkable match'
Photographs: Jeff Gross/Getty Images
"He showed his potential today, Maybe he played a bit more simply today and all the credit is due to him. I did not doubt his ability and he played a remarkable match. I hope he can do it on a regular basis now."
France coach Didier Deschamps is all praise for Paul Pogba, who scored France’s opening goal against Nigeria.
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