Germany’s World Cup campaign ended in the round of 32 as Paraguay prevailed 4-3 on penalties after a 1-1 draw in Foxborough, Massachusetts. Julio Enciso had given the South Americans a first-half lead, cancelled out by Kai Havertz’s header early in the second period. Germany dominated possession and chances but could not find a winner, and the match turned on a disallowed goal in the first period of extra time. Jonathan Tah headed in a corner, only for referee Jalal Jayed to rule out the effort after a VAR review for a foul on goalkeeper Orlando Gill. The shootout then unravelled for Germany: Havertz, substitute Nick Woltemade and Tah all failed from the spot, while José Canale converted the decisive kick to hand Paraguay a historic victory and inflict Germany’s first ever World Cup penalty shootout defeat.

The disallowed goal ignited fury in the German camp. Head coach Julian Nagelsmann called the decision “a scandal”, and Jürgen Klopp, working as a television pundit, argued that if such contact were illegal, Arsenal “would not be English champions” given their reliance on set-piece goals. The controversy was compounded by revelations from German media, citing pitch-side audio, that experienced midfielder Leon Goretzka twice declined to take a penalty in the sudden-death phase, leaving defender Tah – who had never taken a professional penalty – to shoulder the burden. Captain Joshua Kimmich, who organised the takers, later said the team “deserved to be eliminated” and had not played at a high level against any opponent in the tournament.

The fallout in Germany was immediate and severe. DFB president Bernd Neuendorf announced that the federation would “calmly and collectively” analyse the failure in the coming days, pointedly stating that the performance “did not meet our standards” and that there could be no return to business as usual. Nagelsmann, whose contract runs until Euro 2028, insisted he would not resign, but his position is under intense scrutiny. Former World Cup winner Thomas Müller labelled the display “embarrassing”, while Jürgen Klinsmann described the exit as “devastating, ridiculous and shameful”. German newspapers were unsparing: Bild called it a “nightmare”, the Süddeutsche Zeitung a “humiliation”, and Kicker a “testimony of incompetence”. Klopp, frequently mentioned as a potential successor, said it was “not the right moment” to discuss the national team job.

The defeat extends a remarkable pattern of underachievement for a nation that won the World Cup in 2014. Germany have now failed to progress beyond the round of 16 at three consecutive World Cups, having exited at the group stage in 2018 and 2022. They have not won a knockout match at the tournament since the final in Rio de Janeiro. Analysts in Germany point to a shallow talent pool compared with France, England or Spain, and injuries to Serge Gnabry, Lennart Karl and Nico Schlotterbeck further exposed the squad’s lack of depth. The next competitive fixture is a Nations League match away to the Netherlands on 24 September, a contest that will open a new chapter for a federation under pressure to decide whether Nagelsmann or a new voice leads the rebuild.