The German national football team was eliminated from the 2026 World Cup on Tuesday after losing 4-3 on penalties to Paraguay in Boston, BBC Sport confirmed. The round of 32 clash ended in a 1-1 draw after extra time before the South American side secured a historic upset in the penalty shootout. The front page of the German newspaper Bild summarized the collective shock with a headline describing the event as the next German football nightmare. At the beginning of the tournament, Paraguay occupied the 41st position in the FIFA world rankings while Germany held the 10th spot. This defeat marks Germany`s first-ever loss in a World Cup penalty shootout, breaking their historical perfect record.
Despite maintaining 75 percent of ball possession throughout the match, Germany struggled heavily to dismantle a resilient and well-organized Paraguay defense. Paraguay took an unexpected lead during the first half through a strike from former Brighton and Ipswich player Julio Enciso. Arsenal forward Kai Havertz managed to equalize for the German side early in the second half with a glancing header. Shortly afterward, a potential go-ahead header by Jonathan Tah was controversially disallowed by the video assistant referee due to a foul committed by a teammate seconds earlier. Former players and commentators labeled the officiating decision as highly contentious, altering the entire momentum of the game.
Germany entered the penalty shootout with a flawless historical record of four wins from four previous World Cup shootouts but faltered immediately from the spot. Kai Havertz took the first penalty for Germany, only to see his effort saved by the Paraguayan goalkeeper Gill. Newcastle player Nick Woltemade was also denied by the goalkeeper, putting immense pressure on the European powerhouse. Although Paraguay failed to convert two of their own spot-kicks to give Germany a brief lifeline, Jonathan Tah blasted his attempt over the crossbar. Paraguayan defender Jose Canale subsequently stepped up to convert the decisive penalty, sealing a monumental victory for his nation.
Julian Nagelsmann took charge of the German national team in September 2023 but has struggled to replicate his previous club success where he won the Bundesliga with Bayern Munich. Under his management, Germany only managed to reach the quarter-finals of the 2024 European Championship despite hosting the tournament. Their World Cup campaign in North America started strongly with a 7-1 thrashing of Curacao and a 2-1 comeback victory against Ivory Coast. However, a 2-1 defeat to Ecuador in their final group match exposed defensive frailties that Paraguay fully exploited during the first knockout stage. Calls on social media have intensified for the German Football Association to replace Nagelsmann with former Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp.
Former Germany defender Arne Friedrich stated on BBC Radio 5 Live that the defeat was entirely deserved based on the team`s overall performance throughout the tournament. He added that Nagelsmann must face the immediate administrative consequences and suggested that the national team should move forward under new leadership. Former midfielder Thomas Hitzlsperger remarked on BBC One that entering a major tournament with numerous unresolved operational issues was unacceptable for a nation of Germany`s stature. What remains unclear is whether the football federation will grant Nagelsmann a grace period or proceed with an immediate termination. Following the final whistle, a defiant Nagelsmann expressed his desire to stay on but acknowledged that Germany is no longer considered an elite international team.
