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World Cup 2018 memes: Germany gets knocked out, Mexico advances

If you're a fan of Mexico, find a South Korea booster and buy them a beer, because they just helped you out.

Gael Cooper
CNET editor Gael Fashingbauer Cooper, a journalist and pop-culture junkie, is co-author of "Whatever Happened to Pudding Pops? The Lost Toys, Tastes and Trends of the '70s and '80s," as well as "The Totally Sweet '90s." She's been a journalist since 1989, working at Mpls.St.Paul Magazine, Twin Cities Sidewalk, the Minneapolis Star Tribune, and NBC News Digital. She's Gen X in birthdate, word and deed. If Marathon candy bars ever come back, she'll be first in line.
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Gael Cooper

The World Cup will have a new champion this year. South Korea knocked out defending champ Germany in a 2-0 match on Wednesday. 

As CBS Sports pointed out in a tweet, this is the first time Germany has been eliminated in the first round of a World Cup since 1938. (Disclosure: CBS is CNET's parent company.)

Naturally, fans had reactions on Twitter, and lots of them. Of course, there were some World War II references, including one user's gibe that this was "not the first time someone has uttered the words, 'a disaster for the Germans in Russia.'"

South Korean fans weren't the only ones rejoicing. Mexico lost to Sweden 0-3 on Wednesday, but Germany's loss sent Mexico through to the next round. (Victorious Sweden also advanced.) Mexican fans were deliriously thankful to South Korea, sharing photos of celebrations from around the world. 

Wrote one, "Korea just got Mexico to the next round of the World Cup. This Korean guy in Mexico isn't buying himself a beer the rest of the day." And another suggested, "Every Mexicano should go into Koreatown (if you don't already live there) and do a good deed today (especially for an elder)."

Stay tuned, World Cup fans: There's more drama to come Wednesday, with two games scheduled. Switzerland plays Costa Rica, and Serbia takes on Brazil.