A major decision in extra-time went against Germany as they were eliminated from the 2026 FIFA World Cup on penalties following a controversial disallowed goal by Jonathan Tah.

An official explanation has been released clarifying why Tah’s goal against Paraguay was ruled out during their round of 32 clash at the Boston Stadium.

In the first half of extra-time, the Bayern Munich defender appeared to have given Germany the lead for the first time in the match. However, moments after the celebrations, play was halted as the Paraguayan players protested that their goalkeeper Orlando Gill had been fouled in the build-up.

Referee Jalal Jayed, after being advised by the Video Assistant Referee (VAR), went to the pitch-side monitor to review the incident. Following the review, Jayed informed the crowd that the goal would not stand due to a foul committed by Germany substitute Waldemar Anton.

Former England captain Alan Shearer, providing commentary for the BBC, described the decision as extremely harsh. “Not for me, I don’t agree with that decision at all,” Shearer said. “The goalkeeper made the most of the contact. That’s very, very soft.”

The VAR decision turned out to be the decisive moment in Boston, as neither team managed to score before the end of extra-time, leading to the first penalty shootout of the 2026 World Cup.

Paraguay eventually triumphed in the shootout, with central defender Jose Canale converting the winning spot-kick after the South Americans had missed two earlier chances to seal victory.

As a result, Paraguay advanced to the round of 16, where they will face the winners of the France vs Sweden encounter. Germany, meanwhile, were left to rue the disallowed goal and a decision that extended their wait to reach a World Cup round of 16 to 16 years.