Paraguay has eliminated Germany from the 2026 FIFA World Cup. Following a 1-1 draw at Boston Stadium, the South American squad secured a 4-3 victory in a penalty shootout to advance past the Round of 32.
Julio Enciso struck first for Paraguay, finding the net in the 42nd minute. And the lead didn’t last long. Kai Havertz answered back for Germany shortly after the half, leveling the match in the 54th minute. The two squads traded blows through regulation without finding another breakthrough.
Extra time brought plenty of controversy. Jonathan Tah appeared to head home a late winner for the German side. But a Video Assistant Referee review wiped the goal off the board. That singular call forced the match into a shootout.
The penalty phase proved disastrous for manager Julian Nagelsmann’s squad. Havertz, Nick Woltemade, and Tah all missed their spot-kicks. José Canale stepped up for Paraguay and drilled the decisive penalty to seal the upset.
This is Germany’s first penalty shootout loss in a major international tournament since the 1976 European Championship final against Czechoslovakia. The early tournament exit puts Nagelsmann under immediate scrutiny, with critics pointing to a lack of spirit across the squad during the Round of 32 results.