GERMAN PROTEST SILENT AT THE START, DUMMIES AT THE END

GROUP E: Germany 1 Japan 2 CHRIS McKENNA

FROM NEIL MOXLEY & in Doha GERMANY raised the stakes in their ongoing row over the ‘One Love’ armband with a staged protest ahead of their shock defeat by Japan.

Hansi Flick’s players wanted to highlight FIFA’s decision not to allow them to wear the antidiscrimination symbol.

They put their hands over their mouths when the team photograph was taken prior to kick-off

at the Khalifa Stadium. Players also sported rainbow colours on their training tops and several also wore rainbow laces.

Coach Flick (above) said: “It was a sign. We wanted to convey the message that FIFA is silencing us.”

Chelsea’s Kai Havertz (right) added: “It was important for us to make a statement like this.

“We sent it to show people we can try to help wherever we can. Of course, FIFA haven’t made it easy for us but we have tried to show what we feel now.”

The gestures followed a joint statement on Monday from seven European nations, including Germany, England and Wales, advising their players not to wear the ‘OneLove’ armband after threats of sporting sanctions from football’s world governing body.

The German football federation, the DFB, said in a tweet on their official account: “We wanted to use our captain’s armband to take a stand for values that we hold in the Germany national team: diversity and mutual respect.

“Together with other nations, we wanted our voice to be heard.

“Denying us the armband is the same as denying us a voice. We stand by our position.”

Denmark, whose players had also planned to wear the armband, want talks with fellow European nations about taking action against FIFA.