Paraguay stuns Germany in penalties to reach World Cup last 16

Paraguay stunned Germany 4-3 on penalties after a 1-1 draw over 120 minutes, winning the first knockout match of World Cup 2026 decided from the spot and advancing to the round of 16. Orlando Gill made two saves in the shootout, and José Canale converted the decisive sudden-death penalty.

Julio Enciso had given Paraguay the lead with a header at the end of the first half, lifting Gustavo Alfaro’s side against a Germany team that had been favored before kickoff. Kai Havertz pulled Germany level at the start of the second half, but the equalizer did not break Paraguay’s structure or confidence. When the match went to penalties, Havertz then missed Germany’s opening kick, a miss that shifted the pressure immediately onto the four-time champions.

The match, played June 29 in Foxborough, Massachusetts, drew 63,945 spectators and carried historic weight for both sides. It was Germany’s first defeat in a World Cup penalty shootout, and the exit left Julian Nagelsmann’s squad out in the round of 32. For Paraguay, the result sent Gustavo Gómez, Gill and Enciso into celebration after the final whistle.

Nagelsmann said he wanted to remain in charge despite the elimination, while Havertz later said, “I don’t have much to say. I’m speechless.”