Germany’s dream of lifting the 2026 FIFA World Cup trophy was shattered in the Round of 16 after a dramatic penalty shootout defeat to Paraguay at Gillette Stadium in Boston. The match, which ended 1-1 after extra time, saw Paraguay triumph 4-3 in the shootout, with goalkeeper Orlando Hilario emerging as the hero by saving spot-kicks from Kai Havertz and Nick Woltemade. Jonathan Tah’s missed penalty compounded the club’s misery, marking a stunning exit for the four-time world champions.
Julio Enciso opened the scoring for Paraguay in the 42nd minute, but Germany responded just before the hour mark through Kai Havertz, leveling the contest. The drama intensified in extra time when Tah appeared to have sent Germany through with a 102nd-minute strike, only for VAR to intervene and rule the goal out for a foul on the Paraguay goalkeeper by Waldemar Anton. With no further goals in the additional 30 minutes, the match headed to penalties, where Paraguay’s composure under pressure proved decisive.