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2026 World Cup: Germany go out on penalties as Paraguay land the first shock of the tournament

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Contents hide
  1. 1 The Nationalmannschaft get the early exit treatment again
  2. 2 An oddly flat first half from Germany
  3. 3 Enciso punishes sleepy Germany
  4. 4 Havertz drags them level at last
  5. 5 Tah’s disallowed goal will haunt Germany
  6. 6 Neuer gave them hope, Tah took it away
  7. 7 Nagelsmann refuses to walk away
  8. 8 A shockwave, and plenty of questions

The Nationalmannschaft get the early exit treatment again

Germany wanted a clean break. After the scars of 2018 and 2022, after years spent searching for a new identity, Julian Nagelsmann’s side dreamed of a 2026 World Cup that might finally heal some wounds. Instead, they are heading home already.

In Boston, the Nationalmannschaft were dumped out by Paraguay in the round of 16 after a nervy, scrappy, at times suffocating contest settled on penalties. Final score: 1-1, then 4-3 to the Paraguayans from the spot.

Paraguay will now face France or Sweden in the last 16. Germany, meanwhile, will have to explain how they managed to throw away another tournament they believed they could control.

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An oddly flat first half from Germany

On paper, it looked manageable. Nagelsmann went with a 4-2-3-1, Neuer in goal, Ruediger coming in for Schlotterbeck, and an attacking unit of Wirtz, Havertz, Sane and Undav. But there was one quick twist: Jamal Musiala started on the bench, with Leroy Sane preferred.

The first warning, though, came from Paraguay, as Neuer was tested from a corner in the 2nd minute. After that, not much happened. Germany had the ball, parked themselves in the opposition half and spent long spells around Paraguay’s final third, but without ever really knowing what to do with it.

Too slow. Too wide. Too easy to read.

Paraguay had a straightforward plan: defend hard, treat every duel like a street fight, then look for Almiron and Enciso whenever they could break out. It worked perfectly.

Enciso punishes sleepy Germany

After all that sterile possession, Germany finally got hit. In the 43rd minute, after a corner was cleared by Neuer, Havertz tried to spring a counter. Paraguay won it back straight away, all that bite they had shown from the opening whistle causing Germany problems again.

The ball worked its way to Galerza Fonda, whose cross found Enciso. Unmarked in the box, the Paraguay forward headed home. 1-0.

That goal summed it up: Germany had the ball, but not the edge. Paraguay were less polished, more direct, and far more dangerous. And there was another worrying number for the Mannschaft: this was their 10th straight match conceding at least once.

Havertz drags them level at last

After the break, Nagelsmann tried to fix part of the problem by bringing on Goretzka for Nmecha. Trailing, Germany had no real choice. They pushed forward, sent in crosses and kept at it, not always with much craft, but with more intent.

The equaliser arrived in the 54th minute. From a Florian Wirtz cross, Kai Havertz got enough on a header to beat Gill. 1-1.

Germany had some breathing room again. Two minutes later, they even thought they might turn the game around completely, but Paraguay’s back line stood tall and blocked two efforts with real grit. Later, Gill came up with a fine save from a Havertz header.

Paraguay were under pressure, but they weren’t buckling.

Tah’s disallowed goal will haunt Germany

Extra time brought even more tension. In the 97th minute, Woltemade saw his shot blocked by Gomez’s arm in the box. Germany wanted a penalty. They did not get one.

Then came the moment that will fuel the arguments. In the 102nd minute, Jonathan Tah met an Havertz corner with a header and thought he had sent Germany through. VAR had other ideas, spotting a foul by Anton on Gill. Goal disallowed.

Nagelsmann was furious. So were his players. Paraguay, though, were still standing.

Gill stopped another Germany effort in the 105th minute, then denied Anton with a late header in the 119th. It all had to be decided on penalties.

Neuer gave them hope, Tah took it away

Germany were banking on Manuel Neuer to keep them alive. But the shootout started in the worst possible way, with Havertz missing. Later, Woltemade also failed.

Paraguay could have finished it earlier, but Sanabria and Balbuena missed two match points, one of them kept out by Neuer. For a few seconds, Germany could almost smell a miracle. It felt like they had clawed their way back from nowhere.

Then Tah missed as well. Canale didn’t blink. 4-3. Paraguay into the next round. Germany on the floor.

Nagelsmann refuses to walk away

After the match, Julian Nagelsmann owned the defeat, but not the exit door. The Germany coach admitted his side lacked punch, took too long to switch play and did not go direct enough soon enough.

But he was also clear: he is not resigning.

Under contract until 2028, Nagelsmann said he wants to stay on, that he is available if the federation still wants him, and that he is not the kind to run from a fight.

Whether Germany want to hear that is another matter. His calls will be picked apart: Sane over Musiala, Goretzka used despite physical limits, Neuer kept in despite a shaky defensive record.

A shockwave, and plenty of questions

Paraguay have delivered the first real shock of the 2026 World Cup. With their tools, their intensity, their nerve and a composed penalty shootout at the end of all that chaos.

Germany are out too early again. And this time, bad luck won’t wash. They had the ball, the names, the experience, the status. What they did not have was the spark, the cold blood or the emotional control.

The Mannschaft wanted a rebuild.

Paraguay have just reminded them that the big nations don’t simply rise again because they say so.

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