South Korean fans rejoiced yesterday and called for national service exemptions after their team went out of the World Cup in a blaze of glory, eliminating defending champions Germany with a shock 2-0 victory.

In one of the great World Cup upsets, Kim Young-gwon and Son Heung-min both scored in injury time to condemn footballing superpower Germany to their first opening-round exit in 80 years. Dozens of online petitions were launched on the presidential website, urging Moon Jae-in to exempt star players, including Tottenham Hotspur forward Son and goalkeeper Cho Hyun-woo, from their mandatory two-year military service. "They gave us so much hope," said one petitioner. "Their talent should not be wasted in the military!"