Vogts tries to prevent the team’s disintegration by giving the players more freedom, but control begins to slip from his hands. He loses trust in captain Matthäus and has to constantly put out fires. When Effenberg shows the middle finger to fans during the match against South Korea, Vogts removes him from the squad. The team turns against him, and the media start discussing Beckenbauer as a possible replacement. The Round of 16 match against Belgium becomes a crucial test for Vogts, and Germany wins convincingly. Some already see a semifinal against Italy, but first, Bulgaria awaits.