Boston: Germany eliminated from World Cup 2026 after penalty shootout loss to Paraguay

By Brian Otieno — 30 June 2026 — 3 min read

Germany’s early World Cup exit

Germany has been eliminated from the World Cup 2026 after a 4-3 penalty shootout loss to Paraguay in the last 32. The match, held in Boston, ended 1-1 after extra time. This marks Germany’s first-ever defeat in a World Cup penalty shootout, a significant upset given Paraguay’s 41st ranking compared to Germany’s 10th in the Fifa world rankings at the start of the competition.

The four-time champions had previously maintained a perfect record in World Cup shootouts, winning all four prior attempts. The defeat means Germany has now exited a major tournament in the first knockout match for the first time since their World Cup success in 2014, having also failed to progress past the group stage twice since then.

During the match, Paraguay took a surprise lead through Julio Enciso. Arsenal’s Kai Havertz equalised for Germany with a header early in the second half. A header from Jonathan Tah was later disallowed due to a controversial foul call by VAR on a teammate. Despite dominating possession with 75% of the ball, Germany struggled to break down a resilient Paraguay side.

Penalty shootout drama

The penalty shootout saw several key moments. Kai Havertz was the first to miss for Germany, with his effort saved by Paraguay goalkeeper Orlando Gill. Newcastle’s Nick Woltemade also had his penalty saved by Gill. Although Paraguay squandered two opportunities to seal the win, with Antonio Sanabria sending his shot wide and Manuel Neuer saving from Fabian Balbuena, Jonathan Tah then blasted his attempt over the bar. This allowed Jose Canale to score the decisive penalty, securing Paraguay’s victory.

Havertz expressed his disappointment after the match, stating, “I’m a little lost for words. This is my second World Cup and both times it came to nothing. All I can do is apologise.” He added that the players needed to take a hard look at themselves, exempting the coach from immediate blame.

Paraguay defender Gustavo Gomez highlighted his team’s unity and strength, noting that Germany had to work incredibly hard to compete against them. Orlando Gill, the hero of the shootout, mentioned that their team had analysed Germany’s penalty takers, which contributed to his two crucial saves.

Nagelsmann’s future under scrutiny

Germany coach Julian Nagelsmann is now facing significant pressure following the early exit. Taking over the national team in 2023 after winning the Bundesliga with Bayern Munich in 2022, his tenure has seen Germany reach the quarter-finals of the 2024 Euros they hosted. Their World Cup campaign in North America began positively with a 7-1 win against newcomers Curacao and a 2-1 comeback victory against Ivory Coast. They lost 2-1 to Ecuador in their final group game, but had already secured top spot.

However, the loss to Paraguay has led to calls on social media for former Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp to replace him. Former Germany defender Arne Friedrich suggested that Nagelsmann must “face the consequences” and that the team’s journey should continue without him. Former midfielder Thomas Hitzlsperger described the situation as “unacceptable” and noted that Nagelsmann had not handled recent situations well.

Despite the criticism, Nagelsmann has stated he is “not someone who runs away” and wishes to continue if the German Football Association (DFB) supports him. He acknowledged that public opinion in Germany might not favour his continuation but praised the fan support at the stadium. Even before the Paraguay game, Nagelsmann faced criticism from Klopp regarding the team’s performance against Ecuador, with Klopp suggesting they used “the wrong methods” against an aggressive opponent.

Paraguay will now advance to play either France or Sweden in the last 16 on Saturday, while Germany grapples with another early tournament exit.

Source: bbc.com