So much for the easy path. Germany rolled into the knockout stage as the betting favorite, the four-time World Cup champion with a squad so deep it felt almost unfair. They had possession. They had chances. What they didn’t have was a way past Paraguay’s goalkeeper Orlando Gil, and that eventually cost them everything.
Julio Encisco put Paraguay ahead in the 42nd minute, a gut-punch of a goal right before halftime. Germany had dominated the ball but trailed 1-0 at the break, which is exactly how games like this start to crack.
Havertz saved them once. Gil saved them twice.
Kai Havertz tied it in the 54th minute off a Florian Wirtz assist. One beautiful goal, the kind you expect from a team like Germany. But they couldn’t find another. They pushed. They pressed. Gil made save after save, and the clock kept ticking.
Extra time came, and Germany thought they had it. Waldemar Anton shoved Gil before Jonathan Tah knocked the ball in, and the referee let the goal stand at first. Then VAR stepped in. The foul was clear, the goal got wiped off the board, and the game went to penalty kicks — the first shootout of the 2026 World Cup.
Six rounds later, Paraguay walked off winners. The four-time champion was out before the Round of 16 even got started.
What this means for both sides
For Paraguay, this is the kind of win that builds legends. They weren’t supposed to be here. They definitely weren’t supposed to send Germany home. Now they get a Round of 16 spot and a story that will last a generation.
For Germany, questions are going to come fast. The talent is there — Havertz, Wirtz, Musiala — but they couldn’t finish. Dominating possession means nothing if you can’t beat the goalkeeper. And VAR decisions like that one in extra time don’t get forgotten quickly, even if the call was correct.
This is a developing story with more to come.
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