Four-time world champions Germany crashed out of the 2026 FIFA World Cup after suffering a dramatic 4-3 penalty shootout defeat to Paraguay following a 1-1 draw after extra time.
Goalkeeper Orlando Gill emerged as Paraguay’s hero, saving spot-kicks from Arsenal forward Kai Havertz and Newcastle United striker Nick Woltemade before defender Jose Canale calmly converted the decisive sudden-death penalty to send the South Americans into the Round of 16.
Germany’s Jonathan Tah had the chance to keep his side alive but blasted his penalty over the crossbar, allowing Canale to seal one of the biggest upsets of the tournament and spark wild celebrations among the Paraguay players and supporters.
Paraguay had stunned the four-time champions by taking the lead in the 42nd minute when former Brighton and Ipswich forward Julio Enciso headed home.
Germany responded strongly after the break and restored parity through Havertz, whose glancing header from Florian Wirtz’s cross beat Gill to make it 1-1.
The Germans believed they had snatched victory in extra time when Tah headed into the net, but the goal was ruled out after Waldemar Anton was judged to have fouled Gill in the build-up.
The match was eventually decided on penalties, where Germany never held the advantage. Havertz saw Germany’s opening kick saved before Woltemade was also denied by Gill. Although Paraguay missed opportunities to finish the contest earlier through Antonio Sanabria, who fired wide, and Fabian Balbuena, whose effort was saved by 40-year-old goalkeeper Manuel Neuer, Canale eventually converted the winning kick in sudden death.
The defeat marks another painful chapter in Germany’s recent World Cup history.
World champions in 1954, 1974, 1990 and 2014, Germany have now endured three consecutive disappointing World Cup campaigns. They finished bottom of their group in 2018 after defeats to Mexico and South Korea, exited in the group stage again in 2022 after losing to Japan, and have now suffered a Round of 32 elimination in 2026.
It was also Germany’s first-ever defeat in a World Cup penalty shootout, having won all four of their previous shootouts at the tournament. Their only previous loss on penalties in a major international competition came against Czechoslovakia in the 1976 European Championship final, where Antonin Panenka famously scored the winning chipped penalty.
Ranked 41st in the FIFA world rankings at the start of the tournament—31 places below Germany—Paraguay have emerged as one of the surprise packages of the competition.
After opening their campaign with a heavy 4-1 defeat to the United States, Gustavo Alfaro’s side regrouped impressively, tightening their defence to finish third in Group D and book a place in the knockout stage.
Led by outstanding centre-backs Jose Canale and Gustavo Gomez, Paraguay frustrated Germany throughout the contest with a disciplined defensive display before Gill’s penalty heroics completed a famous victory.
Paraguay will now face either two-time champions France or 1958 finalists Sweden in the Round of 16 in Philadelphia.
(The Whistler)
