Paraguay, ranked 34th in the world, have knocked four-time world champions Germany out of the 2026 World Cup. That sentence is not a typo.
After 120 minutes at Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, Massachusetts, a 1-1 draw went to penalties. José Canale converted the decisive kick in sudden death. Germany, who had never lost a penalty shootout in World Cup history, finally had that record broken.
How it happened
Julio Enciso gave Paraguay the lead in the 42nd minute, heading in from a right-wing cross. Paraguay then did exactly what they came to do: defend deep, stay compact, and be difficult to break down. For long stretches of the first half, Germany moved the ball without finding the gaps needed to hurt a side set up deliberately to frustrate them.
Germany levelled through Kai Havertz in the 54th minute. He met a cross from the left and headed past goalkeeper Orlando Gill to draw level. Both sides pushed for a winner in the second half, but the game remained in stalemate at 90 minutes.
Extra time nearly produced the moment Germany needed. Jonathan Tah directed a corner into the net in the first period of added time and began to celebrate. The referee called for a VAR on-field review and overturned the goal. The ruling: Waldemar Anton had impeded Gill’s ability to deal with the ball. Multiple post-match analyses questioned the decision. Germany’s players were furious. The disallowed goal cast a shadow over everything that followed.
The shootout
Germany’s penalty shootout record at World Cups going in was perfect. It no longer is.
Antonio Sanabria stepped up first for Paraguay and Manuel Neuer saved. Germany had the momentum. Kai Havertz stepped forward and missed. Nick Woltemade missed next.
When Neuer then denied Fabián Balbuena’s kick, the score reached 3-3 and sudden death arrived.
Jonathan Tah — already carrying the weight of the disallowed extra-time goal, walked to the spot. He skied the ball over the bar. José Canale stepped up for Paraguay and converted. The Gillette Stadium scoreboard said everything: Germany out.
What it means
For Germany, this is a crushing early exit from a tournament where they arrived as genuine contenders to go deep. The manner of the defeat, a disputed VAR call, three missed penalties from key players, will be picked apart closely over the coming days and weeks.
For Paraguay, this is a night their footballing community will talk about for a generation. They progressed from the group stage as one of the best third-place teams, ranked 34th in the world, and have now eliminated four-time world champions at the first knockout hurdle.
Paraguay face the winner of tonight’s France vs Sweden clash in the Round of 16 on 4 July in Philadelphia. For the 34th-ranked nation, the World Cup story is far from over.
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