Germany’s World Cup 2026 is over at the first knockout hurdle after losing on penalties against Paraguay in Boston on Monday night. The four-time winners topped Group E with a game to spare, thumping minnows Curacao 7-1 in the opening game before sealing qualification with a come-from-behind win victory over Ivory Coast. Though, they will not be adding a fifth star to their shirt next month.
Paraguay broke the deadlock shortly before half-time as Julio Enciso ghosted in unmarked to head home the South American’s first-ever World Cup knockout goal. However, Kai Havertz did equalise early in the second half with an impressive glancing header. Germany thought they had won the tie in extra-time but Jonathan Tah’s goal was disallowed after a VAR check.
In the shootout, Havertz, Nick Woltemade and Tah all missed as Paraguay caused the first big shock of this summer’s expanded tournament in North America, with Jose Canale scoring the decisive spot-kick to set up a last-16 showdown against either France or Sweden this weekend. Follow Germany vs Paraguay back below with our dedicated match blog.
Germany vs Paraguay latest news
- PARAGUAY WIN ON PENALTIES
- NO GOAL! Tah header disallowed after VAR review
- GOAL! Havertz equalises for Germany
- GOAL! Enciso gives Paraguay a shock lead
Germany vs Paraguay - PENALTIES
00:28 , Tashan Deniran-Alleyne
Jose Canale wins it for Paraguay.
Germany lose a World Cup penalty shootout.
Germany vs Paraguay - PENALTIES
00:27 , Tashan Deniran-Alleyne
Oh my word, Tah balloons his penalty over the bar!
Germany vs Paraguay - PENALTIES
00:27 , Tashan Deniran-Alleyne
Fabian Balbuena can win it for Paraguay but Manuel Neuer makes the save!
Germany vs Paraguay - PENALTIES
00:26 , Tashan Deniran-Alleyne
Amiri must score and he does!
Germany vs Paraguay - PENALTIES
00:25 , Tashan Deniran-Alleyne
Antonio Sanabria misses - Germany are still alive!
Germany vs Paraguay - PENALTIES
00:24 , Tashan Deniran-Alleyne
Nick Woltemade is denied.
Match point Paraguay!
Germany vs Paraguay - PENALTIES
00:23 , Tashan Deniran-Alleyne
Galarza rolls the ball home - how cool was that?
Germany vs Paraguay - PENALTIES
00:22 , Tashan Deniran-Alleyne
Musiala sneaks his penalty in!
Germany vs Paraguay - PENALTIES
00:21 , Tashan Deniran-Alleyne
Gomez scores for Paraguay!
Germany vs Paraguay - PENALTIES
00:20 , Tashan Deniran-Alleyne
Kimmich is next up for Germany and he scores!
Germany on the board.
Germany vs Paraguay - PENALTIES
00:19 , Tashan Deniran-Alleyne
Mauricio with Paraguay’s first penalty and he scores!
Germany vs Paraguay - PENALTIES
00:18 , Tashan Deniran-Alleyne
Kai Havertz steps up and it’s saved!
Germany vs Paraguay - PENALTIES
00:18 , Tashan Deniran-Alleyne
Germany will go first and it’s Kai Havertz with the ball in his hand, but Gill is making the Arsenal striker wait. Mind games already!
Germany vs Paraguay - PENALTIES
00:16 , Tashan Deniran-Alleyne
Right then, who is going to be the hero?
Germany 1-1 Paraguay
00:12 , Tashan Deniran-Alleyne
It finishes 1-1 after 120 minutes, we go to penalties.
Germany 1-1 Paraguay
00:11 , Tashan Deniran-Alleyne
120 min: Galarza is rather fortunate to still be on the pitch himself. On a yellow card, he wipes out Havertz but gets away with just conceding a free-kick.
Two minutes of stoppage time has been indicated.
Amiri strikes the free-kick but can only find the side-netting.
Balbuena is on for Alonso in Paraguay’s final change.
Germany 1-1 Paraguay
00:09 , Tashan Deniran-Alleyne
118 min: Corner to Germany, a goal here would surely be the winner and Anton has the chance but he heads straight at Gill.
Germany 1-1 Paraguay
00:08 , Tashan Deniran-Alleyne
117 min: Galarza with a foul on Musiala which earns him a yellow card too. Revenge.
Germany 1-1 Paraguay
00:06 , Tashan Deniran-Alleyne
115 min: That’s daft from Musiala, clearly frustrated at not getting the decision and goes diving in on Galarza at pace. Yellow card but VAR will review this.
Germany 1-1 Paraguay
00:04 , Tashan Deniran-Alleyne
114 min: Ooooh, that sounded nasty from Alonso on Musiala and Germany win a free-kick in a good position. Two Paraguay players down but they will leave their team-mates short if they go off.
Gill comes to collect the free-kick, he has grown in confidence. Just don’t mention Tah’s disallowed goal.
Germany 1-1 Paraguay
00:02 , Tashan Deniran-Alleyne
112 min: Paraguay with a chance to break but Germany get enough bodies back.
Germany 1-1 Paraguay
00:01 , Tashan Deniran-Alleyne
110 min: Rudiger and Wirtz make way for Thiaw and Amiri.
Germany 1-1 Paraguay
23:59 , Tashan Deniran-Alleyne
108 min: It has been all Paraguay since the start of the second half in extra-time.
KICK-OFF
23:56 , Tashan Deniran-Alleyne
Back underway, 15 minutes to find a goal otherwise it's penalties.
Germany 1-1 Paraguay
23:53 , Tashan Deniran-Alleyne
Half-time in extra-time.
Germany 1-1 Paraguay
23:53 , Tashan Deniran-Alleyne
105+4 min: Havertz does really well to get on the end of Wirtz’s cross but he can’t get enough on his header to loop the ball over Gill who claims the ball before Woltemade.
Germany 1-1 Paraguay
23:50 , Tashan Deniran-Alleyne
107 min: Julian Nagelsmann booked for his reaction to the disallowed goal as Paraguay win a corner. They couldn’t could they?
Germany 1-1 Paraguay
23:49 , Tashan Deniran-Alleyne
105 min: After review, the goal is disallowed!
It stays 1-1.
That looked a little soft.
Germany 2-1 Paraguay
23:47 , Tashan Deniran-Alleyne
104 min: Hang on a minute. VAR are checking this goal, Paraguay are adamant Gill was blocked off before Tah headed home.
GOAL! Germany 2-1 Paraguay | Jonathan Tah ‘103
23:46 , Tashan Deniran-Alleyne
103 min: GERMANY AHEAD!
Jonathan Tah powers Germany in front for the first time!
Germany 1-1 Paraguay
23:43 , Tashan Deniran-Alleyne
99 min: Paraguay changes see Bobadilla and Caceres make way for Sanabria and Ojeda.
Germany 1-1 Paraguay
23:41 , Tashan Deniran-Alleyne
98 min: No way past Canale or Gomez as they throw themselves in front of Woltemade’s shot. The Germany striker is appealing for a penalty, but those claims fall on deaf ears.
Germany 1-1 Paraguay
23:39 , Tashan Deniran-Alleyne
95 min: Really good play from Tah as he feigns a cross, sells two Paraguay before putting the ball into a dangerous area which earns Germany a corner and he makes first contact, though the ball had already gone out.
Germany 1-1 Paraguay
23:36 , Tashan Deniran-Alleyne
93 min: Two brave blocks in the space of five seconds from Canale to deny Woltemade and Kimmich.
Germany 1-1 Paraguay
23:33 , Tashan Deniran-Alleyne
Underway in extra-time and Paraguay have made a defensive change.
Velazquez, a right-back, replaces Almiron
Germany 1-1 Paraguay
23:30 , Tashan Deniran-Alleyne
This is the goal that has sent this tie into extra-time...
Havertz scores superb glancing header to level for Germany after half-time😮💨 pic.twitter.com/OygpwhLzKE
— Match of the Day (@BBCMOTD) June 29, 2026
Germany 1-1 Paraguay
23:29 , Tashan Deniran-Alleyne
That’s it! The teams can’t be separated after 90 minutes and that means we have extra-time for the first time at World Cup 2026.
Germany 1-1 Paraguay
23:28 , Tashan Deniran-Alleyne
90+4 min: Bobadilla has cramp at the worst possible time, he’s out of the game as Germany continue and Musiala whips in a great cross but there are no takers.
Germany 1-1 Paraguay
23:26 , Tashan Deniran-Alleyne
90+3 min: Almiron lets fly and wins a corner for Paraguay which almost leads to a chance but Wirtz is fouled in the box and Germany have a free-kick.
Germany 1-1 Paraguay
23:25 , Tashan Deniran-Alleyne
90+2 min: Short delay before the Germany corner and Tah is free at the back post but he heads the ball straight at Gill.
Germany 1-1 Paraguay
23:23 , Tashan Deniran-Alleyne
90 min: Still now closer to knowing who will be the third team to reach the last-16 as Kimmich sees a shot spin behind for a corner.
FIVE MINUTES OF STOPPAGE TIME.
Germany 1-1 Paraguay
23:21 , Tashan Deniran-Alleyne
88 min: Here comes another Germany change and it is a popular one as Woltemade replaces Sane.
Germany 1-1 Paraguay
23:18 , Tashan Deniran-Alleyne
85 min: Two round of 32 games at the World Cup so far, both decided by stoppage-time goals.
Will we have the same in Boston?
Germany 1-1 Paraguay
23:17 , Tashan Deniran-Alleyne
84 min: Strong running from Caceres gets Paraguay up the pitch, think the fans loved that from the defender.
Germany 1-1 Paraguay
23:15 , Tashan Deniran-Alleyne
82 min: A reminder that if there is no goal in the next eight minutes plus stoppage time, this tie will go to extra-time.
Germany 1-1 Paraguay
23:12 , Tashan Deniran-Alleyne
80 min: Wirtz strikes the free-kick straight into the Paraguay wall.
Germany 1-1 Paraguay
23:12 , Tashan Deniran-Alleyne
79 min: That is poor from Havertz. Either side of Gill and it’s a goal. Germany do have a free-kick but before it can be taken Anton replaces Pavlovic.
Germany 1-1 Paraguay
23:10 , Tashan Deniran-Alleyne
77 min: Poor pass from Almirom, gives the ball straight to Havertz but then Wirtz repays the favour. Not a great passage of play that. Creative midfielders not able to complete simple passes.
Paraguay think they’re in but the offside flag is up before Havertz heads straight at Gill.
Germany 1-1 Paraguay
23:07 , Tashan Deniran-Alleyne
74 min: Play restarts after the hydration break.
Ooooh, nearly an own goal from Canale as he makes first contact with Sane’s cross, luckily the ball flew straight into the arms of Gill.
Germany 1-1 Paraguay
23:03 , Tashan Deniran-Alleyne
71 min: The second hydration break.
Germany 1-1 Paraguay
23:03 , Tashan Deniran-Alleyne
70 min: Paraguay enjoying a period of pressure now, keeping the ball in Germany’s half. Here comes another corner which is far too deep but a quick counter-attack attempt is halted by the referee for reasons that are unclear.
Germany 1-1 Paraguay
23:01 , Tashan Deniran-Alleyne
68 min: Was Kimmich trying to score straight from the corner? If he did, his attempt was read and he gets another chance to deliver a ball into the box, but Gill is found and Paraguay are able to win two free-kicks in quick succession, the second in a dangerous position.
Germany 1-1 Paraguay
22:59 , Tashan Deniran-Alleyne
66 min: Sane fancies his chances from the resulting free-kick. It’s a big Paraguay wall though and they stand tall.
Not great from Sane.
Germany 1-1 Paraguay
22:58 , Tashan Deniran-Alleyne
65 min: Cubas just oversteps his mark with a strong challenge on Havertz and then there’s an incident involving Musiala and Galarza off the ball.
Germany 1-1 Paraguay
22:56 , Tashan Deniran-Alleyne
63 min: Very good centre-forward play from Mauricio to hold the ball up and win a free-kick for Paraguay. That will ease some of the Germany pressure, though the South Americans can’t do much with the set-piece.
Germany change sees Musiala replace Undav. Quite the reception he gets.
Germany 1-1 Paraguay
22:54 , Tashan Deniran-Alleyne
60 min: Goal number three of the World Cup for Kai Havertz.
Germany 1-1 Paraguay
22:51 , Tashan Deniran-Alleyne
57 min: Well this is a blow for Paraguay as goalscorer Enciso has to go off and his replaced by Mauricio.
Germany 1-1 Paraguay
22:50 , Tashan Deniran-Alleyne
56 min: Oh Germany have woken up!
Goretzka has a shot blocked as Germany look for a quickfire double.
Caballero has replaced Avalos for Paraguay.
GOAL! Germany 1-1 Paraguay | Kai Havertz ‘54
22:48 , Tashan Deniran-Alleyne
54 min: GERMANY LEVEL!
It's level in Boston as Kai Havertz gets across his marker to head in a cross.
Game on!
Germany 0-1 Paraguay
22:46 , Tashan Deniran-Alleyne
53 min: Wirtz is caught late but Germany continue on the attack which comes to nothing as Havertz can’t connect with a deep cross into the box.
Germany 0-1 Paraguay
22:43 , Tashan Deniran-Alleyne
50 min: NEUER TO THE RESCUE!
Enciso reads Kimmich’s weak back pass and tries to poke the ball past Neuer but the German giants gets a vital boot on the shot.
Germany 0-1 Paraguay
22:42 , Tashan Deniran-Alleyne
49 min: Think the message from Julian Nagelsmann to his Germany players at the break was to get the ball into the box as early as possible.
Germany 0-1 Paraguay
22:38 , Tashan Deniran-Alleyne
46 min: News of a that half-time Germany change with Nmecha making way for Goretzka.
KICK-OFF!
22:38 , Tashan Deniran-Alleyne
Back underway in Boston!
Germany have not won a World Cup knockout game since beating Argentina in the 2014 final.
They have 45 minutes to turn this around and Julian Nagelsmann has turned to his bench.
Germany 0-1 Paraguay
22:33 , Tashan Deniran-Alleyne
Germany do have plenty of options on the bench. Musiala, Woltemade, Gross, Leweling and Amiri all available to Nagelsmann.
Germany 0-1 Paraguay
22:30 , Tashan Deniran-Alleyne
Here is Julio Enciso heading Paraguay ahead against Germany.
That is Paraguay’s first ever goal in a knockout game at the World Cup!
Paraguay take shock lead against Germany in World Cup round of 32!😱 pic.twitter.com/eNzaZCiUi6
— Match of the Day (@BBCMOTD) June 29, 2026
Fan reaction: Germany changes
22:28 , Tashan Deniran-Alleyne
Woltemade and Musiala should come on for Germany, preferably someone for Sane at HT. Could try the Brazil route of just trying to bully them in the box with Woltemade/Havertz/Nmecha.
— JustWinners (@JustWinnerss) June 29, 2026
Fan thoughts: Enciso praise
22:25 , Tashan Deniran-Alleyne
Enciso is doing everything to win the young player of the tournament
— Gold 🇵🇹 🇧🇷 🏴 🇸🇳 (@Lil_Golding) June 29, 2026
Fan reaction: Sane's performance
22:23 , Tashan Deniran-Alleyne
Leroy Sane in 2026 can be a frustrating watch.
— Carl Anka (@Ankaman616) June 29, 2026
HALF-TIME
22:21 , Tashan Deniran-Alleyne
Germany 0-1 Paraguay
Julio Enciso with Paraguay’s first-ever World Cup knockout goal and that is the difference at the break.
Germany 0-1 Paraguay
22:20 , Tashan Deniran-Alleyne
45+4 min: Indecision in the Paraguay defence offers Germany another chance to equalise before the break as Brown trudges over to take a corner.
Not a great delivery as Gill, who has looked shaky at set-pieces, claims the ball with ease.
Germany 0-1 Paraguay
22:18 , Tashan Deniran-Alleyne
45+3 min: Into FIVE minutes of additional time, can Germany find an equaliser?
Nearly is the answer as Nmecha’s effort is deflected just wide before Havertz makes a mess of a header and then Kimmich shoots straight at Gill.
Germany 0-1 Paraguay
22:15 , Tashan Deniran-Alleyne
44 min: Kimmich shoots over from distance as Germany look for an immediate response.
GOAL! Germany 0-1 Paraguay | Julio Enciso ‘42
22:13 , Tashan Deniran-Alleyne
42 min: GOALLLLLL
Neuer, with two hands, punches away Almiron’s corner but Paraguay are first to the second ball and a cross into the box is headed hime by an unmarked Julio Enciso.
Germany 0-0 Paraguay
22:11 , Tashan Deniran-Alleyne
40 min: Free-kick to Paraguay as Pavlovic is penalised for handball. Into the last five minutes of the first half and Almiron does very well to win a corner off Brown.
Germany 0-0 Paraguay
22:09 , Tashan Deniran-Alleyne
39 min: Paraguay will be the happier of the two teams at this point, though they will have to start showing some attacking threat if they want to progress. For now though, their game plan is working.
However, Caceres concedes a needless corner and this is a chance for Germany, out of nothing.
Germany 0-0 Paraguay
22:07 , Tashan Deniran-Alleyne
36 min: Avalos is winning his aerial duels, problem is that there is hardly any Paraguay players near him and that allows Germany to pick up the second balls.
Almiron tries to get Paraguay up the pitch but is dispossessed before Havertz gives the ball away sloppily.
Germany 0-0 Paraguay
22:04 , Tashan Deniran-Alleyne
34 min: That just sums up Sane’s half. Decent position to get the ball into the box but his cross is blocked and then the ball hits him before going out of play.
Germany 0-0 Paraguay
22:03 , Tashan Deniran-Alleyne
33 min: That was better from Germany, a nice flowing passing sequence that ends with Havertz just failing to return the ball into Nmecha’s path.
Germany 0-0 Paraguay
22:01 , Tashan Deniran-Alleyne
31 min: Bizarre moment as Havertz goes to ground but doesn’t get the free-kick he appealed for and while on the ground he wins possession back for Germany, though Sane was not alert to a cross into the box.
Germany 0-0 Paraguay
21:59 , Tashan Deniran-Alleyne
29 min: Another shaky moment from Gill as he gets caught in no mans land trying to deal with a Germany attack and is saved by the offside flag. Sane made his run too soon.
Germany 0-0 Paraguay
21:58 , Tashan Deniran-Alleyne
28 min: Wirtz is great with the ball at his feet, not so much with running in behind and a long ball over the top gave him far too much work and, unsurprisingly, was unable to keep it in.
Germany 0-0 Paraguay
21:56 , Tashan Deniran-Alleyne
26 min: Play restarts after the hydration break with a Paraguay free-kick. Sent long for Avalos to win but Germany pick up the second ball and start to build an attack.
Germany 0-0 Paraguay
21:53 , Tashan Deniran-Alleyne
23 min: Galarza thinks he is away but is called back for a foul on Kimmich. Did look a little soft but there was enough contact for the Germany captain to go down.
Moments later, Paraguay to win a free-kick and they will get to take that after the hydration break.
Germany 0-0 Paraguay
21:51 , Tashan Deniran-Alleyne
21 min: Almiron is fouled by Brown and lets everyone inside the Boston Stadium know it.
Germany 0-0 Paraguay
21:47 , Tashan Deniran-Alleyne
16 min: Canale, on his full international debut, with some strong defending to stop Sane in his tracks. Paraguay are proving a difficult nut for Germany to crack.
Germany 0-0 Paraguay
21:45 , Tashan Deniran-Alleyne
15 min: Gill, you lucky boy. Comes for a corner and gets nowhere near the ball and is grateful to hear the referee’s whistle confirming a free-kick.
Germany 0-0 Paraguay
21:43 , Tashan Deniran-Alleyne
14 min: Woltemade looks like he is getting ready for Germany. Early change?
Germany 0-0 Paraguay
21:43 , Tashan Deniran-Alleyne
13 min: The Paraguay gameplan is for all to see. Sit deep and hope to hit Germany on the counter-attack. It might be a while before we get the first goal.
Caceres takes a whack, accidental, from Wirtz in the face and goes down.
Germany 0-0 Paraguay
21:38 , Tashan Deniran-Alleyne
7 min: Crucial touch from Canale to stop Havertz breaking the deadlock. There is a corner for Paraguay to face and they clear it out to Wirtz who shoots over from outside the box on the half volley.
Nice attempt, bad execution.
Germany 0-0 Paraguay
21:36 , Tashan Deniran-Alleyne
6 min: Decent chance for Germany as Havertz latches onto the ball and lays it back to Undav, who tries a cheeky lob but gets it all wrong.
Germany 0-0 Paraguay
21:35 , Tashan Deniran-Alleyne
4 min: Injury concern for Gomez as he requires treatment and goes off for more. He will have to wait a while before being able to return.
Germany 0-0 Paraguay
21:32 , Tashan Deniran-Alleyne
2 min: CHANCE! From the resulting corner, Alonso is left unmarked at the back post but he can’t force the ball home. Positive start from the South Americans.
Germany 0-0 Paraguay
21:31 , Tashan Deniran-Alleyne
1 min: Lively start from Paraguay as Enciso wins a corner inside the opening 30 seconds.
KICK-OFF!
21:30 , Tashan Deniran-Alleyne
Away we go!
As things stand
21:29 , Tashan Deniran-Alleyne
It is knockout football, which means there are no second chances.
The winners progress to the last-16, facing either France or Sweden.
Losers go home.
Not long now
21:27 , Tashan Deniran-Alleyne
The national anthems have been observed, as have the pre-match pleasantries between both sets of players and officials.
Kick-off is next.
Paraguay: The story so far
21:23 , Tashan Deniran-Alleyne
USA 4-1 Paraguay
Turkey 0-1 Paraguay
Paraguay 0-0 Australia
Germany: The story so far
21:22 , Tashan Deniran-Alleyne
Germany 7-1 Curacao
Germany 2-1 Ivory Coast
Ecuador 2-1 Germany
HERE WE GO!
21:22 , Tashan Deniran-Alleyne
The teams are out at the Boston Stadium.
The national anthems are next.
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