Paraguay – Historic World Cup Victory Sends Germany Crashing Out Before Last 16
Paraguay – Paraguay celebrated one of the most memorable moments in its football history after eliminating Germany from the FIFA World Cup 2026, securing a place in the Round of 16 with a dramatic penalty shootout victory.
Paraguay stunned four-time world champions Germany by winning 4-3 on penalties after the teams finished level at 1-1 following extra time. The result immediately sparked celebrations across the country, with President Santiago Peña announcing a national holiday to mark the achievement. Sharing his excitement on X, Peña posted an emotional message declaring that Paraguay never gives up and confirming the holiday in honor of the team’s remarkable success.
National celebration follows memorable triumph
The victory quickly became a source of national pride as fans celebrated one of the country’s greatest World Cup achievements. Paraguay displayed defensive discipline throughout the knockout match and remained composed when the contest was decided from the penalty spot.
The dramatic result earned Paraguay a place in the Round of 16 while bringing Germany’s World Cup campaign to an unexpected end. The match will also be remembered for the resilience shown by the South American side under intense pressure against one of international football’s most successful nations.
Chile president congratulates Paraguay
Congratulations also arrived from neighboring Chile. President José Antonio Kast revealed on X that he had watched the decisive penalty shootout after arriving in Paraguay’s capital, Asunción.
In his message, Kast praised Paraguay’s achievement and said the victory ensured another Latin American nation progressed to the Round of 16. He described the shootout as an emotional spectacle and extended his congratulations to the Paraguayan team and supporters following their famous win.
VAR decision proves decisive in dramatic contest
Germany appeared to have found a winning goal during extra time through Jonathan Tah, but the effort was overturned after a Video Assistant Referee review identified a foul earlier in the attacking move. The decision proved to be one of the defining moments of the match and shifted momentum back toward Paraguay.
When the game moved to penalties, Paraguay converted their chances with confidence while Germany failed to capitalize, missing three spot-kicks. The successful shootout completed one of the biggest surprises of the tournament and sealed Germany’s earliest exit from the 2026 competition.
Result enters World Cup history
The defeat marked Germany’s first elimination from a FIFA World Cup through a penalty shootout. According to Opta statistics, it was also only the second time Germany had lost a penalty shootout in a major international tournament, with the previous occasion coming against Czechoslovakia in the 1976 UEFA European Championship final.
Beyond the historic nature of the shootout, the result stands among the most significant knockout upsets in recent World Cup history. Germany entered the tournament ranked 10th in the FIFA World Rankings, while Paraguay began in 41st place, leaving a difference of 31 ranking positions between the two sides.
Only a handful of World Cup knockout matches since 1994 have produced a larger ranking gap between the winning and losing teams, including Russia’s victory over Spain in 2018 and South Korea’s famous wins against Italy and Spain during the 2002 tournament. Paraguay’s success now joins that list as one of the competition’s most memorable surprises.