---
title: "Paraguay Stun Germany on Penalties to Reach the World Cup Round of 16"
description: "In one of the biggest upsets of the 2026 World Cup, Paraguay knocked out four-time champions Germany on penalties, winning a shootout 4-3 after the teams finished level at 1-1 — and handing the Germans their first-ever World Cup shootout defeat."
category: "Sports"
category_url: https://herald.la/category/sports
author: "Elias Rosen"
published: 2026-06-30T02:48:00.000Z
updated: 2026-06-30T02:48:00.000Z
canonical: https://herald.la/article/paraguay-stun-germany-on-penalties-to-reach-the-world-cup-round-of-16
tags: ["World Cup 2026", "Paraguay", "Germany", "soccer", "FIFA", "upset"]
---
# Paraguay Stun Germany on Penalties to Reach the World Cup Round of 16

In one of the biggest upsets of the 2026 World Cup, Paraguay knocked out four-time champions Germany on penalties, winning a shootout 4-3 after the teams finished level at 1-1 — and handing the Germans their first-ever World Cup shootout defeat.

A tournament heavyweight is going home, and a South American side that defends like few others is the reason.

## The upset

At a packed stadium in Foxborough, Massachusetts, Paraguay eliminated Germany in a last-32 thriller, [Al Jazeera reported](https://www.aljazeera.com/sports/2026/6/30/paraguay-coach-salutes-extraordinary-world-cup-win-over-germany). The match finished 1-1 through regulation and extra time before Paraguay prevailed 4-3 on penalties — Germany's first loss in a World Cup shootout, a remarkable footnote for a nation that had built much of its reputation on nerve from the spot.

## How it unfolded

Paraguay struck first when Julio Enciso put them ahead in the first half, then defended with the discipline that has become the side's signature. Germany pressed and eventually drew level through Kai Havertz. In extra time, Jonathan Tah thought he had won it for the Germans, only for the goal to be ruled out after a video review — a call that drew immediate protests. With the deadlock unbroken, the tie went to penalties, where Paraguay goalkeeper Orlando Gill became the hero with two saves, enough to carry his team through even after Paraguay missed two kicks of their own, [Yahoo Sports reported](https://sports.yahoo.com/articles/paraguay-coach-salutes-extraordinary-world-021823474.html).

## 'Extraordinary'

Paraguay's coach, the Argentine Gustavo Alfaro, was measured but plainly moved afterward. "The players understood perfectly what the match required," he said, "and put in a huge effort to prevent Germany from finding spaces and playing their game." The win was no fluke: Paraguay were organized and resolute, and seized their moment when it came.

## What's next

Paraguay advance to the round of 16, a milestone for a country that last reached the World Cup quarterfinals in 2010; their next opponent will be determined by other results in the bracket. For Germany, the early exit — beaten by a lower-ranked side, and on penalties at that — reopens hard questions about a storied program's direction at a tournament it had been expected to contend in.

## Sources

- [Paraguay coach salutes 'extraordinary' World Cup win over Germany](https://www.aljazeera.com/sports/2026/6/30/paraguay-coach-salutes-extraordinary-world-cup-win-over-germany)
- [Paraguay coach salutes 'extraordinary' win over Germany](https://sports.yahoo.com/articles/paraguay-coach-salutes-extraordinary-world-021823474.html)