The World Cup had a surprise when Paraguay beat Germany. This is a big deal because Germany has won the World Cup four times before. The game was tied at 1-1 after time. So they had to take penalty kicks to see who would win. Paraguay won 4-3 on these kicks. Germany players Kai Havertz, Nick Woltemade and Jonathan Tah missed their penalty kicks. This means Germany is, out of the tournament now. The 2026 World Cup will not have Germany in it anymore.
How the Match Unfolded:
Julio Enciso scored for Paraguay in the minute. He headed the ball into the goal from a cross. This gave Paraguay a 1-0 lead at halftime.
Germany scored a goal too. Kai Havertz scored it. He headed the ball into the goal from a pass by Florian Wirtz. This made the score 1-1.
The game was really exciting. Germany thought they had scored another goal in time. Jonathan Tah headed the ball into the goal from a corner kick.. The referees checked the play, on video and said no goal. They saw a foul before the goal.
So the game was still tied. Neither team could score again. The game went to penalty kicks.
A Shootout for the Ages:
The game was really scary from the start to the end. Germany did not make three of their six kicks and Tahs kick was really bad. It went high over the bar. Which was important when the game went to death and it let Jose Canale make the kick that won the game for Paraguay.
The goalkeeper, for Paraguay, Orlando Gill was amazing he stopped the ball when Germany kicked it and that was really important.
Why This Upset Is Historic:
This wasn't just any defeat — it was a result that will be remembered for years. Paraguay, ranked 41st in the world, became the deepest betting long shot to beat a 10th-ranked Germany side at this World Cup. It marked Germany's first-ever loss in a World Cup penalty shootout, and the first time the Germans had been eliminated this early since their group-stage exits over the past two tournaments.
Many analysts now consider this defeat to be among the greatest upsets in World Cup knockout-stage history — arguably even bigger than Bulgaria's stunning quarterfinal win over defending champions Germany at USA 1994.
Celebrations in Asunción:
The win made people very happy home. Fans went out in numbers onto the streets of Asunción, which is the capital of Paraguay. They were screaming, jumping up and down and hugging each other because their team had made it to the round. This is a big deal for Paraguay because it is a small country with only seven million people. They are surrounded by countries that love football like Argentina and Brazil. Are very good, at it.
What's Next:
Paraguay is going to play the team that wins the match between France and Sweden in the round of 16. The France and Sweden match will decide who plays Paraguay. As for Germany they are going home early. That makes you wonder if the Germany team has enough good players and if they were really ready for this tournament. This is a deal, for Germany because it will affect what happens to the Germany team in the next tournament.
This is a time for fans of both teams. Really exciting for Paraguay and very sad for Germany. Football can be tough on anyone, the best teams. It is a deal for Paraguay and a big disappointment, for Germany. Football has a way of making big teams lose sometimes.