Boston, Jun 30 (V7N) — Paraguay produced one of the biggest upsets of the 2026 FIFA World Cup by eliminating four-time champions Germany in the Round of 32, securing a place in the last 16 after a dramatic penalty shootout victory.
After the match ended 1-1 following regular and extra time at Boston Stadium in the United States on Tuesday, Paraguay triumphed 4-3 on penalties to knock out one of the tournament favorites.
Paraguay took the lead in the 42nd minute when Julio Enciso headed home to cap an impressive first-half performance. Germany struggled to find their rhythm before the break and went into halftime trailing by a goal.
Julian Nagelsmann's side responded strongly after the restart, with Kai Havertz equalizing in the 53rd minute to bring the four-time world champions back into the contest.
The match remained evenly poised before a dramatic moment in extra time. In the 102nd minute, Germany thought they had taken the lead from a corner, but the goal was ruled out following a VAR review. The referee disallowed the effort after determining that a foul had been committed on Paraguay goalkeeper Orlando Gil.
With neither side able to find a winner, the tie was decided by a penalty shootout.
Germany endured a disappointing shootout, missing three of their spot kicks, including Havertz's opening penalty. Paraguay also missed twice but held their nerve to claim a historic 4-3 victory.
The result is widely regarded as one of the biggest shocks of the 2026 FIFA World Cup. Paraguay, ranked 41st in the FIFA World Rankings before the tournament, eliminated one of football's traditional powerhouses to advance to the Round of 16.
The defeat also marked Germany's first-ever loss in a World Cup penalty shootout. It was the country's earliest knockout-stage exit since lifting the World Cup trophy in 2014 and one of the most disappointing results in the nation's World Cup history.
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