In a stunning turn of events at the World Cup 2026, Paraguay eliminated Germany in a dramatic penalty shootout, marking one of the most significant upsets in the tournament's history. The match, held in the round of 32, concluded with Paraguay winning 4-3 on penalties after a 1-1 draw in regulation and extra time.

Match Overview

Germany, ranked 10th in the world by FIFA, found themselves trailing at halftime after Julio Enciso scored a header in the 42nd minute, assisted by Matias Galarza's cross. The four-time World Cup champions struggled in the first half but managed to equalize shortly after the break when Kai Havertz netted a glancing header from a cross by Florian Wirtz.

Despite a strong push, Germany had a goal from Jonathan Tah disallowed after a VAR review determined a foul on Paraguay's goalkeeper. With neither team able to score again, the match proceeded to penalties following extra time.

Pens and the Upset

In the shootout, Germany's Havertz missed the first penalty, and the team went on to miss a total of three kicks. Nick Woltemade and Tah also failed to convert their penalties. Paraguay, despite missing two of their own, secured victory when defender Jose Canale scored the decisive spot kick.

This defeat marks Germany's first loss in a World Cup penalty shootout and continues their trend of failing to reach the last 16 since their last tournament victory in 2014. The upset is considered the biggest at the knockout stage of the World Cup, surpassing Bulgaria's shocking win over Germany in the quarterfinals of the 1994 tournament.

Paraguay now advances to the last 16, where they will face either France or Sweden on July 4 in Philadelphia, as they look to continue their surprising run in the tournament.