The scenes at the final whistle could not have been more contrasting: the Paraguayan players danced in front of their bench, turning to the stands where hundreds of their supporters roared in celebration. Meanwhile, the German squad remained huddled in their technical area, some lying on the turf, faces buried in their hands. The Nationalmannschaft was knocked out of the 2026 World Cup in the round of 16 after a match that was poor in quality but rich in drama, ending in a penalty shootout (1-1, 4-3 on penalties).
The expected pattern of play took shape from the start: Germany dominated possession with over 80% of the ball, but struggled to create clear chances. It often resembled a cup tie between a giant and a minnow, and Paraguay stunned the stadium by scoring first through Enciso in the 42nd minute. Julian Nagelsmann made only one adjustment at halftime, bringing on Goretzka for Nmecha, and Germany quickly equalised through Havertz in the 54th minute.
Yet they did little else to trouble Paraguay, aside from another Havertz header in the 78th minute and a Goretzka effort in the 86th. They thought they had snatched victory in extra time when Tah headed in a Brown corner in the 102nd minute, but the referee disallowed the goal after a VAR review. The tie was finally decided by a penalty shootout, and in that nerve-wracking test, the Paraguayans held their nerve to secure a place in the next round.
The player: José Canale (Paraguay)
It took nerves of steel in a penalty shootout full of twists. After Paraguay missed two match points, central defender José Canale stepped up with a third chance to win it. He did not flinch, calmly sending his country into the round of 16 (1-1, 4-3 on penalties). Canale had already been impeccable alongside captain Gustavo Gómez in a resolute central defence that was breached only once by Havertz. He handled the different types of German attackers – Undav, Havertz, Woltemade – with composure before becoming his team’s hero.
The fact: Paraguay awaits the French
Could France face Paraguay in the World Cup round of 16? Should the French team beat Sweden on Tuesday, they will meet the South Americans in a replay of their 1998 encounter at the Stade Bollaert in Lens. That day, Aimé Jacquet’s side had to battle into extra time before Laurent Blanc’s golden goal (a rule since abandoned) finally broke Paraguayan resistance.
