Paraguay Shock Germany on Penalties to Reach World Cup Last 16 for First Time Since 2010

Paraguay produced one of the biggest upsets of the 2026 World Cup on Monday, defeating four-time champions Germany 4-3 on penalties after a 1-1 draw through extra-time in the round of 32 at Boston Stadium, Foxborough.

The result sends the South Americans into the last 16 and ends Germany’s long-standing dominance from the spot at the tournament. It was Germany’s first ever defeat in a World Cup penalty shootout, a record that had stood through five previous shootouts and four wins, including the famous 1982, 1986, 1990 and 2006 victories.

Played in humid New England conditions before a near-capacity crowd, the game was tight, physical, and ultimately decided by nerve. Germany, who came into the match as group runners-up behind Spain, controlled more of the ball in the opening half and created the clearer chances. Paraguay, however, defended in a compact 4-4-2, absorbed pressure, and looked dangerous on transitions.

The breakthrough came just after the hour mark. Germany’s Jamal Musiala drifted inside from the left and found Kai Havertz with a cut-back at the edge of the box. Havertz’s first-time finish beat Paraguay goalkeeper Roberto Fernandez to make it 1-0. It looked like the moment that would settle the contest.

Paraguay refused to fold. With 12 minutes left, they were awarded a penalty after Antonio Rüdiger was judged to have clipped Miguel Almirón inside the area following a VAR review. Veteran forward Miguel Ángel Báez stepped up and sent Manuel Neuer the wrong way to level at 1-1.

Neither side could find a winner in regulation, and the pace dropped through extra-time. Both coaches used their benches to manage fatigue, with Paraguay bringing on fresh legs in wide areas and Germany pushing full-backs higher. The best late chance fell to Germany substitute Niclas Füllkrug, whose header from a corner drifted just wide in the 118th minute.

The shootout began with both teams converting their first two kicks. Paraguay’s third taker, Almirón, saw his effort saved low to Neuer’s left, giving Germany the edge. But Germany’s fourth, Leroy Sané, dragged his penalty wide, swinging momentum back.

With the shootout at 3-3, Paraguay’s fifth taker, 22-year-old midfielder Diego Gómez, kept his composure and slotted into the bottom corner. That left Germany’s Joshua Kimmich needing to score to keep them alive. Fernandez guessed correctly, diving to his right to parry Kimmich’s firm strike and send Paraguay through 4-3.

The Boston Stadium erupted in red and white as Paraguay’s players collapsed in celebration, many of them in tears. Fernandez was mobbed by teammates after what coach Guillermo Barros Schelotto called “the save of his life.”

The result is Paraguay’s deepest World Cup run since 2010, when they also reached the quarter-finals in South Africa. For a nation that missed the last three tournaments, the victory represents a major statement under Schelotto, who has rebuilt the squad around a mix of MLS-based experience and young talent from South America and Europe.

Almirón, now at Atlanta United, was named Player of the Match for his work rate and the penalty he won. Báez’s calm conversion under pressure and Gómez’s winning kick highlighted a new generation stepping up alongside seasoned campaigners.

“We believed even when it was difficult,” Schelotto said after the match. “Germany are a great team with great history, but tonight my players showed courage, discipline, and belief. Roberto was immense, and the boys from the spot were ice-cold.”

For Germany, the defeat is a bitter end to a campaign that had started with promise. Coach Julian Nagelsmann’s side had looked solid in group play, but struggled to convert dominance into goals in the knockout stage.

The shootout loss breaks a psychological barrier. Germany had been 5-for-5 in World Cup shootouts before Monday, a record often cited as evidence of the team’s tournament mentality. Neuer, playing in his final World Cup at 40, saved one but could not prevent defeat.

“It’s painful,” Nagelsmann said. “We had control for long periods, we scored, and we created more. But football is decided in both boxes, and Paraguay were clinical when it mattered. Congratulations to them. We have to accept it and learn.”

Captain Kimmich, who missed the decisive kick, fronted the media after the game. “I take responsibility. I wanted to step up, and it didn’t go in. That’s on me. We let the country down tonight,” he said.

Paraguay now advance to the last 16, where they will face the winner of Brazil vs. Japan. A potential South American derby against Brazil would carry extra weight for fans in Asunción, but the immediate focus will be on recovery and preparation after 120 minutes and the emotional toll of penalties.

For Germany, the exit prompts immediate questions about the next cycle. With Neuer likely finished internationally and a squad in transition, Nagelsmann will be tasked with integrating younger players ahead of Euro 2028 qualifying.

The match was one of the tournament’s most atmospheric so far, with a large Paraguayan diaspora turning sections of Boston Stadium into a sea of red, white and blue. Chants of “Albirroja! Albirroja!” echoed as the shootout began, and the celebrations spilled into the streets of Foxborough and downtown Boston long after full-time.

In a World Cup designed to bring new stories to the fore, Paraguay’s penalty triumph over Germany will be remembered as a defining moment of the round of 32, a reminder that history counts for little once the whistle blows and the spot kicks begin.