FOXBOROUGH, Mass. — Paraguay pulled off the biggest upset of the 2026 World Cup on Monday, defeating four-time champions Germany 4-3 in a penalty shootout after a 1-1 draw following extra time to reach the round of 16.
Jose Canale converted the decisive spot kick in sudden death after goalkeeper Orlando Gill made two crucial saves in the shootout to send the South Americans through.
Ranked 34th in the FIFA rankings, Paraguay knocked out 12th-ranked Germany and will face the winner of Tuesday’s match between France and Sweden in the round of 16 on Saturday in Philadelphia.
“We had to analyze every player, every detail. Thanks to that I was able to only miss two penalties,” Gill said. “This is for all the people of Paraguay.”
Paraguay took the lead three minutes before halftime when Julio Enciso headed home after a flowing move involving Miguel Almirón and Matias Galarza.
Germany responded in the 52nd minute as Kai Havertz nodded Florian Wirtz’s cross beyond Gill to level the match.
The Germans thought they had completed the comeback in the 102nd minute when Jonathan Tah headed in Nathaniel Brown’s corner, but the goal was ruled out after a VAR review determined Waldemar Anton had fouled Gill in the buildup.
Despite dominating possession and finishing the group stage as one of the tournament’s highest-scoring teams with 10 goals, Germany struggled to break down Paraguay’s disciplined defensive setup.
Germany had entered the match having won six consecutive penalty shootouts in major tournaments, but Gill’s heroics ended that streak.
“I think we deserved one more game and, to be honest, considering everything that was said and everything we went through,” Canale said. “What I want to highlight from our team is how united we are. Today was a game we really needed to show our true colors.”
The result avenged Germany’s 1-0 victory over Paraguay in the round of 16 at the 2002 World Cup.
For Germany, the defeat continues a disappointing run at recent World Cups. After back-to-back group-stage eliminations in 2018 and 2022, the four-time champions have now exited in the first knockout round despite reaching the last 32.
“We had very big plans for this World Cup. It’s very difficult to disappoint again,” Havertz said. “It was difficult to create chances and keep the pace.”
Paraguay was without injured defender Omar Alderete, who missed the match after picking up an injury against Australia in the group stage, with Canale replacing him in the starting lineup before going on to score the winning penalty.
Source: Saudi Gazette