The biggest upset of the 2026 World Cup round of 32 has occurred. Paraguay, South America's dark horse, defeated "Die Mannschaft" Germany to claim a ticket to the last 16.
The Paraguay national football team, led by manager Gustavo Alfaro, drew 1-1 with Germany over 120 minutes including extra time before winning 4-3 on penalties in the 2026 FIFA World Cup round of 32 held at Boston Stadium in Massachusetts, USA on Tuesday (Korea time).
Paraguay, which reached the World Cup finals for the first time in 16 years since the 2010 South Africa tournament where they advanced to the quarterfinals, thus joined the last 16.
Germany, on the other hand, which was chasing its fifth overall title for the first time in 12 years since the 2014 Brazil tournament, was sent packing in the round of 32.
Paraguay will clash with the winner of the France-Sweden match at Philadelphia Stadium in the USA on July 5 for a place in the quarterfinals.
Germany failed to even pass the group stage at the 2018 Russia tournament and the 2022 Qatar tournament, and at this tournament suffered defeat in its first knockout match.
Germany, in Group E during this tournament's group stage, went 2-1 to advance to the round of 32 as group winners, but was undone by Paraguay and packed up earlier than expected.
The match was played amid Germany's one-sided dominance. Germany overwhelmed Paraguay with over 70 percent ball possession.
But it was Paraguay that struck the opening goal. In the 42nd minute, Matias Galarza took a through pass from Paraguay's Miguel Almiron and delivered a cross from the right side of the penalty area, which Julio Enciso headed home from directly in front of the goal.
Germany, which trailed at halftime after Joshua Kimmich's successive shots failed just before the break, leveled the score just nine minutes into the second half.
When Florian Wirtz delivered a cross from the left side of the opponent's half, Kai Havertz connected with a sensational back-header from the center of the penalty area with his back to the goal to score the equalizer.
Afterward, both teams poured their energy into attacking to score an additional goal, but ultimately could not settle the match and headed to extra time.
Germany appeared to have taken the lead with Jonathan Tah's header from a corner opportunity in the 12th minute of the first half of extra time.
But the referee, through video review, confirmed that Waldemar Anton had interfered with the defense of Paraguay goalkeeper Orlando Gill and declared a foul, canceling the goal.
In the 14th minute of the second half of extra time, Germany's header by Anton following a corner kick went straight at the goalkeeper, and Nadiem Amiri's right-footed free kick then hit the side netting, dragging the match to penalties.
In the shootout, which began with Germany taking the first kick, Germany found itself on the brink as the shots of first kicker Havertz and fourth kicker Woltemade were blocked by Paraguay goalkeeper Gill.
Paraguay scored consecutively starting with Mauricio, followed by Gustavo Gomez and Galarza.
Afterward, Antonio Sanabria's shot went wide of the goal and Fabian Balbuena's kick was stopped by Germany's veteran goalkeeper Manuel Neuer's save, making it 3-3.
But while Germany's sixth kicker Tah's shot missed, Paraguay's Jose Canale's kick found the net, ending the match in a Paraguay victory.
