Germany’s World Cup journey came to a stunning end on Monday evening as they were knocked out of the 2026 World Cup by Paraguay in a dramatic penalty shootout after a 1-1 draw in Foxborough. Julian Nagelsmann’s team dominated possession with 75 percent of the ball and outshot the South Americans by 21 to 7. They even believed they had secured victory when Jonathan Tah headed in Nathaniel Brown’s corner during extra time, only for VAR to intervene.

The Video Assistant Referee called match official Jalal Jayed to review what appeared to be minimal contact between Waldemar Anton of Germany and Paraguay goalkeeper Orlando Gill. To Germany’s dismay, the goal was controversially ruled out, setting the stage for a penalty shootout.

In the shootout, Kai Havertz — who had earlier equalised with a fine header from a Florian Wirtz cross after Julio Enciso’s 42nd-minute opener — missed the first spot-kick. Substitute Nick Woltemade also failed to convert, giving Paraguay two opportunities to clinch victory. Antonio Sanabria dragged his effort wide, and Manuel Neuer then denied Fabian Balbuena to keep Germany alive.

However, the drama continued. Jonathan Tah, already the unlucky protagonist of the disallowed goal, blasted his penalty over the bar, gifting Paraguay yet another chance. This time, defender Jose Canale, who had been immense throughout the 120 minutes, made no mistake, sealing Paraguay’s historic progression and ending Germany’s run in heartbreaking fashion.

Below are the player ratings for Germany’s side as they suffered their first-ever penalty shootout defeat at a World Cup.

Goalkeeper & Defence

Manuel Neuer (6/10): Little he could do about Enciso’s goal, though the Germany captain no longer exudes the same dominance of old — underlined by his continued failure to keep a clean sheet in a World Cup match since the 2014 final. Nevertheless, his key save in the shootout briefly revived Germany’s hopes before Tah’s miss proved decisive.

Joshua Kimmich (5/10): Nearly gifted Enciso a second goal with a poor clearance and lacked his usual sharpness going forward, miscuing several crosses. Looked slightly more composed when shifted into midfield after Waldemar Anton’s introduction in the 79th minute.

Jonathan Tah (5/10): A mixed evening for the defender. Though occasionally clumsy in his tackles, he contributed well going forward, only to have his powerful header controversially disallowed. His missed penalty then compounded an agonising night where fortune deserted him completely.

Antonio Rudiger (6/10): Faced little threat as Paraguay rarely committed players forward, but handled his defensive duties efficiently and distributed the ball well from the back.

Nathaniel Brown (6/10): Found it difficult at times to contain Miguel Almiron but showed energy and attacking intent. His corner that led to Tah’s disallowed goal was one of Germany’s most dangerous deliveries.

Midfield

Felix Nmecha (3/10): After some promising displays in the group stage, he struggled badly here. The Borussia Dortmund midfielder failed to track Enciso for the opening goal despite having multiple chances to close him down. Substituted at half-time after an ineffective showing.

Aleksandar Pavlovic (4/10): The Bayern Munich youngster endured another forgettable outing, with his passing and positioning off the pace. One misplaced pass straight out of play summed up his difficult evening.

Attack

Leroy Sane (4/10): Once again flattered to deceive. Despite seeing plenty of the ball, he lacked end product and creativity. It was surprising he remained on the field until the 88th minute.

Kai Havertz (7/10): Dropped deeper into the No.10 position to accommodate Undav and struggled early on, but his expertly taken header brought Germany level. Came close again late in the game before missing his penalty in the shootout.

Florian Wirtz (7/10): Germany’s most inventive player on the night. Combined well with Brown and consistently delivered dangerous crosses, including the assist for Havertz’s equaliser. Most of Germany’s attacking threat came through him.

Deniz Undav (4/10): Handed his first start of the tournament but made little impression, failing to justify his selection over more established forwards. Substituted after 63 anonymous minutes.

Substitutes & Manager

Leon Goretzka (6/10): Replaced Nmecha at half-time and added physical presence and urgency, particularly during set-pieces.

Jamal Musiala (5/10): Introduced for Undav, pushing Havertz up front. Injected energy but lacked composure, with poor final passes and a rash tackle earning him a yellow card. Still, he held his nerve to score in the shootout.

Waldemar Anton (6/10): Came on late and was harshly penalised for minimal contact with the goalkeeper before Tah’s goal was overturned. Missed a great chance himself prior to penalties.

Nick Woltemade (5/10): Entered in the final minutes and contributed little before missing his crucial penalty.

Nadiem Amiri (N/A): Replaced Wirtz for the final quarter-hour but had limited involvement.

Malick Thiaw (N/A): Came on for Rudiger with ten minutes remaining, providing fresh legs in defence.

Julian Nagelsmann (3/10): A tactical gamble that backfired. Starting Undav failed to pay off, and while Goretzka’s introduction improved midfield balance, Musiala’s frustrations reflected poor squad management. Despite Paraguay’s defensive approach, Germany’s inability to break them down raises serious questions. With his team eliminated by a side thrashed by the US earlier in the tournament, Nagelsmann’s future looks increasingly uncertain, even with two years left on his contract.