Germany exit World Cup after shootout defeat to Paraguay
Germany were eliminated from the FIFA World Cup 2026 after losing to Paraguay on penalties in the Round of 32 at Boston Stadium.
Germany 1-1 Paraguay (Paraguay won 4-3 on pens)
Goals: 0-1 Enciso 42' (assist: Galarza), 1-1 Havertz 54' (assist: Wirtz)
Paraguay started brightly, with Julio Enciso driving forward down the left in the opening minute before his deflected shot was turned behind for a corner. From the resulting set piece, Júnior Alonso turned and shot at goal, only for Manuel Neuer to produce an important early save.
Germany gradually took control, dominating possession and creating half-chances through Deniz Undav and Kai Havertz, but Paraguay sat in two deep banks of four and offered little space.
Then, against the run of play in the 42nd minute, Paraguay struck. Miguel Almirón was overlapped by Matías Galarza, whose cross to the penalty spot was met by the unmarked Enciso, who headed home to give the South Americans a 1-0 lead.
Havertz levels for Germany
Julian Nagelsmann sent on Leon Goretzka for Felix Nmecha at the break, and Germany came out with renewed purpose. The pattern remained the same — Germany pressing, Paraguay defending deep — before the equaliser arrived in the 54th minute. Florian Wirtz drifted in from the left and delivered a cross on his right foot, which Kai Havertz guided home with the slightest of headers inside the right post.
Germany almost doubled their lead immediately, with Wirtz again providing the cross and Aleksandar Pavlović seeing his powerful effort blocked. Havertz went close again in the 78th minute, heading a Wirtz cross straight at goalkeeper Orlando Gill, who produced an excellent stop as the game went to extra time.
Extra-time drama
Germany continued to dominate, with Nick Woltemade twice going close.
In the 102nd minute, Jonathan Tah headed home a Nathaniel Brown cross to seemingly give Germany the lead, but the referee reviewed the incident via VAR and disallowed the goal, ruling that Anton had fouled goalkeeper Orlando Gill in the build-up.
Anton headed straight at Gill from a corner and Amiri's late free-kick struck the side netting, forcing a shootout.
Penalty heartbreak for Germany
Kai Havertz and Nick Woltemade missed Germany's first and fourth attempts, before Manuel Neuer produced a crucial save to deny Fabián Balbuena following Antonio Sanabria's miscued effort.
However, Tah blazed his penalty over the bar, and José Canale stepped up to hammer the ball into the top corner to send Paraguay through and Germany home.
