Gill leads Paraguay past Germany, reaches World Cup round of 16

Orlando Gill turned away Kai Havertz’s opening penalty and later denied Nick Woltemade as Paraguay beat Germany 4-3 on penalties after a 1-1 draw at Boston Stadium. Gill’s six saves in regulation and two more in the shootout made him the match’s most valuable player on 29 June 2026.

The result gave Paraguay its first World Cup win over Germany and handed Germany its first penalty-shootout loss in a World Cup. It also sent Paraguay into the round of 16 for the first time since 2010, when the team reached the quarter-finals, still its best finish on the tournament stage.

Gill’s night carried a personal weight that went beyond the scoreboard. Before the match, he had promised his nephew Alexander, who is hospitalized in Paraguay, that he would dedicate the trophy to him, and he followed through with an emotional message after the final save. For a goalkeeper, a shootout is a test of nerve as much as reflexes, with every pause stretching the pressure and every attempt demanding a full reset; Gill met that demand twice, first against Havertz and then against Woltemade.

The San Lorenzo de Almagro goalkeeper arrived at the tournament with little senior international mileage, having made his Paraguay debut in September 2025 against Peru. His World Cup began unevenly in a 4-1 loss to the United States, but he steadied Paraguay with five-save performances against Australia and Turkey before producing his defining display against Germany.

Gill’s rise has been rapid, but the Boston Stadium performance gave it a definitive shape. Against one of world football’s most experienced sides, he kept Paraguay alive through regulation, held his focus through the shootout’s most dangerous moments and delivered the save that sent Paraguay into the last 16.