Paraguay shock Germany in shootout win for one of all-time World Cup upsets

Germany’s World Cup 2026 campaign is over after a shock defeat – arguably the competition’s greatest – by Paraguay in the round of 32.

The Germans trailed 1-0 at half-time to Julio Enciso’s 42nd-minute header on Monday.

It was a limp display by the four-time winners in the first period, but they drew level in the second half, when Kai Havertz scored eight minutes after the restart.

Germany then had a goal from a corner ruled out after a VAR review for a foul on Paraguay’s keeper, and with no further goal added, the game went to spot kicks after extra time.

Havertz, who helped Arsenal end a 22-year wait to win the English Premier League title this season, missed the opening kick of the shootout. The forward’s side would miss three kicks in total, as Paraguay, who themselves missed two kicks, eventually prevailed 4-3.

Germany were ranked number 10 in the world by the game’s governing body, FIFA, entering the tournament, while Paraguay were ranked 41st.

The German defeat is potentially the greatest upset in World Cup football, but is surely the biggest at the knockout stage. The previous match that it surpasses was another German defeat at the US 1994 World Cup, when a Hristo Stoichkov-inspired Bulgaria knocked out the defending champions in the quarterfinals.

Stoichkov, then a Barcelona player, was named the Ballon d’Or winner for 1994, while Bulgaria were ranked 29th in the world at the time.

It was the Germans’ first defeat on penalties at a World Cup, and they have now failed to reach the last 16 since they last won the competition in 2010.