UNITED STATES — Paraguay produced one of the biggest surprises of the 2026 FIFA World Cup after eliminating Germany in a dramatic penalty shootout to book a place in the Round of 16.
The South American side held the four-time world champions to a 1-1 draw after extra time before prevailing 4-3 on penalties in Monday’s Round of 32 clash. Defender José Canale converted the decisive spot kick after Germany’s Jonathan Tah failed to score in sudden death, sealing a famous victory for Paraguay.
The result came as a major shock considering Germany’s impressive start to the tournament. Julian Nagelsmann’s men opened their World Cup campaign with a commanding 7-1 victory over Curaçao, while Paraguay suffered a 4-1 defeat to the United States in their opening match. Despite those contrasting starts, Paraguay recovered strongly when it mattered most to eliminate one of football’s traditional powerhouses.
Julio Enciso gave Paraguay the lead before Kai Havertz restored parity for Germany in the second half. Germany thought they had found a winner during extra time, but a goal was ruled out after a VAR review for a foul in the build-up. Paraguayan goalkeeper Orlando Gill then emerged as the hero by making crucial saves during the penalty shootout.
Extra News Nigeria reports that the victory sends Paraguay into the next round, where they will face the winner of the France versus Sweden encounter. The result also marks Paraguay’s deepest World Cup run since 2010 and ends Germany’s campaign much earlier than many football fans expected.
Football analysts have described the outcome as one of the biggest World Cup upsets in recent years because of the gulf in expectations between both teams. Germany entered the tournament among the favourites after a dominant group-stage performance, while Paraguay arrived as outsiders ranked significantly lower by FIFA.
For Germany, the defeat raises fresh questions after another disappointing World Cup campaign. Paraguay, meanwhile, will head into the Round of 16 with renewed confidence as they attempt to extend their remarkable run and prove that determination and discipline can overcome pre-tournament expectation
