FOXBOROUGH, Mass. — Germany were beaten by Paraguay on penalties Monday after a 1-1 draw at Boston Stadium, ending the four-time champions’ run in the World Cup. The match marked Germany’s first World Cup knockout appearance in 12 years; the nation had never before lost a World Cup penalty shootout, according to the report.
Paraguay, which had been thrashed 4-1 by the United States in its opening group game and advanced as the seventh of the eight best third-place teams, produced perhaps its best result. Julio Enciso scored Paraguay’s first-ever World Cup knockout goal, and José Canale — who spent much of the second half and extra time throwing himself in front of shots — converted the decisive spot kick. Fans in red and white were moved to tears when the final penalty hit the net, while Germany’s players sank to their knees in the center circle.
The match intensified questions about Germany’s status in world soccer. The report described it as “official: Germany are no longer a soccer superpower,” noting the nation has now suffered three consecutive World Cup eliminations after group-stage exits in 2018 and 2022. Manager Julian Nagelsmann said, “If you exit after the first stage, it’s not enough for German football,” and added that the side needs change and solutions for the future, though he would not outline specifics.
Germany arrived in the tournament with 10 goals in the first round and as winners of Group E but displayed worrying spells in group play against Curaçao, Ivory Coast and in the defeat to Ecuador, the report said. Paraguay defended deep and stayed compact, leading at halftime and largely keeping Germany in check aside from Kai Havertz’s equalizer. Nagelsmann criticized a VAR decision to rule out a Jonathan Tah header in extra time as “a joke.”
For Paraguay, the victory added to an accomplished qualifying campaign that included wins over Brazil and Argentina, and it ensured Boston will remain a historic location for the nation. While Germany faces immediate fallout and calls for change, Paraguay will take the win and the memories it created for travelling supporters.
