BOSTON — Paraguay produced one of the greatest knockout stage upsets in FIFA World Cup history on Monday evening, eliminating four-time champions Germany 4-3 in a dramatic penalty shootout following a tense Germany vs Paraguay 1-1 draw across 120 minutes of extra-time action.
The shocking Round of 32 defeat in Foxborough marks the first time Germany has ever lost a penalty shootout in their World Cup history. Julian Nagelsmann’s squad dominated territory with a staggering 75 percent of ball possession and outshot the South American side 21 to 7, yet they failed to break down a resilient and compact Paraguayan defensive structure.
Paraguay opened the scoring in the 42nd minute when Brighton forward Julio Enciso ghosted past the German midfield to meet a Matías Galarza cross, powering a fine header past veteran goalkeeper Manuel Neuer. Germany struck back early in the second half when Kai Havertz converted an equalizer in the 54th minute following excellent build-up play from Florian Wirtz.
Drama peaked in extra time when Jonathan Tah thought he had scored a dramatic winning header from a corner kick. However, following a lengthy video assistant referee (VAR) review, the goal was controversially overturned for a foul on Paraguayan goalkeeper Orlando Gill. In the ensuing shootout, Gill became the ultimate hero, while Havertz, Tah, and Nick Woltemade all missed their spot-kicks to seal Germany’s premature departure.
Germany Player Ratings
Manuel Neuer (5/10) – Left completely exposed on Enciso’s header and failed to spark any heroics during the decisive shootout.
Joshua Kimmich (4/10) – Struggled significantly to track back effectively, losing key aerial duels and showing frustration against Paraguay’s counters.
Jonathan Tah (5/10) – Went from absolute hero to zero; saw his extra-time winner cruelly chalked off before missing a critical penalty.
Antonio Rüdiger (4/10) – Heavily booked and erratic under pressure during extra-time breakaways.
Nathaniel Brown (5/10) – Showed bright intent moving forward early on but was caught out structurally just before the half-time interval.
Felix Nmecha (3/10) – Compounded a lackluster cameo by leaving Enciso completely unmarked for the opening goal; rightly hooked at half-time.
Aleksandar Pavlović (4/10) – Unusually erratic with his distribution, participating heavily in lateral buildup without piercing the defensive lines.
Leroy Sané (3/10) – Made repetitive runs behind the backline but failed to complete a single accurate cross or successful dribble all night.
Deniz Undav (3/10) – Completely ineffective in the pocket, floating an early effort wide before disappearing from the game.
Florian Wirtz (5/10) – Provided the vital technical assist for the equalizer but grew deeply frustrated by double-teaming defenders.
Kai Havertz (4/10) – Kept his composure to score the second-half equalizer but completely deflated Germany’s momentum by missing the very first kick of the shootout.
Paraguay Player Ratings
- Orlando Gill (8/10) Man of the Match – Commanded his area superbly, won a vital VAR decision in extra time, and stood tall to deny Germany from 11 meters.
- José Canale (8/10) – Performed like a literal brick wall, making multiple last-ditch clearances to choke off the central channels.
- Júnior Alonso (7/10) – Distributed beautifully out of the back and maintained impeccable positional discipline over 120 grueling minutes.
- Gustavo Gómez (6/10) – Kept Havertz relatively quiet in open play, though briefly lost his alignment during Germany’s scoring sequence.
- Juan Cáceres (7/10) – Shut down Wirtz and Sané effectively on the flank, refusing to leave spaces behind for overlapping runs.
- Andrés Cubas (6/10) – Anchored the deep midfield block with high physical output, breaking up passing lanes before picking up a booking.
- Matías Galarza (7/10) – Provided the stunning, precise cross that unlocked the German defense for the opening goal.
- Damián Bobadilla (7/10) – Maintained a tireless work rate, shielding his back four against continuous German waves.
- Miguel Almirón (7/10) – Provided an essential outlet valve on the breakaway, carrying the ball long distances to relieve intense defensive pressure.
- Julio Enciso (7/10) – Rose beautifully to score a historic header and remained a constant thorn in Nagelsmann’s side with his deceptive movement.
- Gabriel Ávalos (6/10) – Isolated for long stretches but worked himself to absolute exhaustion holding up the ball before being substituted.
Paraguay officially processes forward to the Round of 16, where they will pack their bags for Philadelphia to await the winner of Tuesday’s high-profile elimination tie between France and Sweden.
