Germany had won six straight major-tournament penalty shootouts, going back to the 1976 European Championship final. Then, on June 29, 2026, Paraguay beat them 4-3 on penalties in the World Cup round of 32 after a 1-1 draw through extra time. Match reports described it as the biggest upset of the tournament.
The match was played in Foxborough, near Boston. It was Germany’s first knockout game since their 2014 final win, and it ended with a third straight early World Cup exit.
Key Facts
- Result: Paraguay 1-1 Germany after extra time, Paraguay won 4-3 on penalties.
- Goals: Julio Enciso (42′) for Paraguay, Kai Havertz (52′) for Germany.
- Germany had a goal disallowed in extra time when VAR ruled that Waldemar Anton pushed goalkeeper Orlando Gill before Jonathan Tah’s header.
- Jose Canale scored the winning penalty. Gill saved two German kicks.
- Paraguay then lost 1-0 to France in the round of 16.
How the Match Unfolded
Germany came in as heavy favourites after scoring 10 goals in the group stage, tied for the most of any team. Paraguay, who had lost to the United States, beaten Turkey 1-0 with 10 men for the second half and drawn 0-0 with Australia, had only reached the knockout stage as the third-placed team in Group D. They also had not scored in any of their five previous World Cup knockout games.
Gustavo Alfaro set Paraguay up in a 4-5-1, and Germany had 78 percent of the possession in the first half. Paraguay still took the lead in the 42nd minute. Miguel Almiron fed Matias Galarza, and Galarza’s cross was headed in by an unmarked Julio Enciso.
Germany levelled in the 52nd minute when Havertz redirected a cross from Florian Wirtz past Gill. It was Havertz’s fifth World Cup goal.
The decisive moment of extra time came in the 102nd minute. Tah headed in a corner from Nathaniel Brown and Germany celebrated, but after a video review the officials ruled that Anton had pushed Gill to the ground, and the goal was disallowed.
The Penalty Shootout
Paraguay won the shootout 4-3. Germany took six kicks and missed three. Gill saved two of them, Tah sent his attempt over the crossbar, and Manuel Neuer saved a kick from Fabian Balbuena at the other end. Canale, who had started in place of the injured Omar Alderete and was making his first start of the tournament, scored the kick that won it.
“This is for all the people of Paraguay,” Gill said afterwards.
Why This Upset Was So Significant
Germany had won six of their previous seven major-tournament shootouts. Paraguay’s only previous knockout win at a World Cup had come on penalties against Japan in the 2010 round of 16, a run that ended with a quarter-final loss to Spain.
Al Jazeera ranked it first among World Cup knockout upsets, ahead of Bulgaria’s 2-1 quarter-final win over defending champions Germany at Giants Stadium on 10 July 1994. Other results on its list include South Korea 2-1 Italy in 2002 and Morocco 1-0 Portugal in 2022.
What It Means for Germany
Germany went out in the group stage in 2018 and 2022, and now in the round of 32. Julian Nagelsmann’s reaction was blunt: “It’s not enough for German football.”
Havertz said afterwards that Germany “had very big plans for this World Cup.”
What Happened to Paraguay Next
Paraguay’s run ended in the round of 16, where they lost 1-0 to France. Kylian Mbappe scored the only goal from a penalty in the 70th minute after a VAR review. France went on to finish fourth, while Spain won the tournament. For more on the champions, read our look at Lamine Yamal’s World Cup and who could challenge Spain in 2030.
Other round of 32 stories from the same tournament: Morocco’s penalty win over the Netherlands and Cape Verde’s historic debut. When club football is back, follow fixtures and standings for the leagues we cover on the leagues hub.
Sources: Al Jazeera, KUTV match report, Wikipedia: 2026 FIFA World Cup knockout stage.