The defeat to Paraguay in the round of 32 of the 2026 World Cup not only closed the journey of the German team but also marked another dark chapter in their long period of decline.
After a 1-1 draw in 120 minutes, Germany collapsed 3-4 on penalties. This is the first time in history that they have failed in a penalty shootout at the World Cup - something that was once considered a "specialty" of the four-time world champion team.
If in the past, Germany was always known for its steely bravery and coldness on the 11m spot, then in Boston, Kai Havertz and Nick Woltemade successively missed, creating conditions for Paraguay to create a big shock.
This defeat continues the series of disappointing results of German football. After winning the 2014 World Cup, the "German Tank" was eliminated from the group stage at the 2018 and 2022 World Cups, before continuing to stop right in the first knockout match at the 2026 World Cup.
Coach Julian Nagelsmann has admitted that the German team is no longer in the top group of teams in the world: "This is the third consecutive time we have been eliminated early. That shows that Germany is no longer in the group of the strongest teams".
On the field, Germany controlled the ball overwhelmingly but faced many difficulties against Paraguay's tight defense. The South American representative unexpectedly took the lead at the end of the first half after Julio Enciso's header.
In the second half, Kai Havertz headed in to equalize from Florian Wirtz's assist, helping Germany drag the match into extra time. However, despite constantly putting pressure, they still could not penetrate Paraguay's resilient defense.
Germany once put the ball into the opponent's net in extra time after Jonathan Tah's header, but the goal was disallowed after VAR determined fault in the dispute with goalkeeper Orlando Gill.
In the penalty shootout, Gill became the hero when he successfully saved two kicks from Havertz and Woltemade, before Jose Canale successfully converted the decisive kick, helping Paraguay defeat Germany for the first time at a World Cup.
After the match, Havertz apologized to the fans: "We are extremely disappointed. The whole team has prepared a lot for this tournament but had to stop too early. We need to look back at ourselves to know what we are missing.
For his part, Nagelsmann affirmed that he has no intention of resigning despite facing great pressure.
If the German Football Association still wants me to continue, I will stay. I understand there will be a lot of criticism, but at this time the most important thing is to find the reason to change" - he said.
More than a decade since the peak of the 2014 World Cup, German football has not yet regained its inherent position. The first penalty shootout loss at the World Cup and continued to be eliminated early shows that the "Tank" needs a strong reform if it wants to return to the group of championship candidates in the future.
