The German team disappointed greatly when stopping right in the round of 32 of the 2026 World Cup after losing to Paraguay in a penalty shootout, closing the regretful journey of the "Tank" at the tournament in the United States.
The two teams drew 1-1 after 120 minutes of play at Boston. Entering the penalty shootout, Germany lost for the first time in a "shootout" at a World Cup, while Paraguay created one of the biggest earthquakes of the tournament.
This is also Germany's first knockout match at the World Cup since the 2014 championship. However, coach Julian Nagelsmann's team could not show the image of a championship contender, although they previously topped Group E with 10 goals after the group stage.
After the match, Nagelsmann admitted that the German team is no longer in the group of top teams in the world.
If we are eliminated right in the first knockout match, that is unacceptable for German football. This is already the third consecutive World Cup we have failed, so we cannot consider ourselves a top team anymore" - the 38-year-old strategist shared.
In the opposite direction, Paraguay wrote a historical milestone. Julio Enciso scored the first goal for the South American team in a World Cup knockout match, before Kai Havertz equalized to help Germany drag the match into extra time.
In the penalty shootout, goalkeeper Orlando Gill became the hero when he successfully saved shots from Kai Havertz and Nick Woltemade. Jonathan Tah then missed in the decisive turn before Jose Canale successfully executed the final shot, sending Paraguay to the round of 16.
This victory becomes even more special because Paraguay was defeated by the US in the opening match of the group stage. They only won a ticket to the next round as one of the third-placed teams with the best results.
However, the South American representative showed a disciplined and courageous defensive style of play. They opened the score right before halftime thanks to Enciso's header, while minimizing the opponent's attack for most of the match.
Germany controlled the ball nearly 80% in the first half but only created an expected goal score (xG) of 0.14 - one of their worst statistics in World Cup knockout matches in decades. Despite improving the game after halftime and equalizing thanks to Havertz, Nagelsmann's army still lacked sharpness to finish off the opponent.
After the final whistle, Nagelsmann also did not avoid questions about the future: "Perhaps we need a big change. We will analyze everything and find solutions for the future.
While Paraguay continues its magical journey and awaits to meet France in the round of 16, this defeat opens up a new crisis for German football. After two consecutive World Cups being eliminated from the group stage in 2018 and 2022, the "Tank" now continues to stop right in the first knockout match, making the pressure on Nagelsmann and his students increasing.
