German newspapers and football pundits reacted with disbelief and harsh criticism after Germany suffered a shock elimination from the 2026 FIFA World Cup at the hands of Paraguay.
The defeat extended Germany’s recent struggles on football’s biggest stage, with the four-time world champions now failing to reach the last 16 in each of their last three World Cup appearances. The nation has also gone without a knockout-stage victory since defeating Argentina in the 2014 World Cup final in Rio de Janeiro.
Germany manager Julian Nagelsmann, aged just 38, became the youngest coach to oversee a World Cup knockout match in four decades. He opted for an attacking lineup, handing tournament top scorer Deniz Undav his first start of the competition.
The Germans believed they had secured victory in the 102nd minute when defender Jonathan Tah headed home from a corner. However, after an extended VAR review, the goal was ruled out for a foul on the goalkeeper, a decision that proved decisive.
The match eventually went to a penalty shootout, where Germany’s hopes collapsed. Kai Havertz, Nick Woltemade and Jonathan Tah all missed from the spot. Despite two missed penalties by Paraguay, defender Jose Canale calmly converted the winning kick to send the South Americans into the next round.
German tabloid Bild described the display as a “disastrous performance,” criticising the team as “slow, boring and lethargic” and calling the defeat “another German football nightmare.”
Newspaper Die Zeit blamed a “lack of imagination,” arguing that Germany had effectively defeated themselves and lost touch with the standards that once made them one of world football’s dominant forces. The publication suggested the decline extends beyond the success of clubs such as FC Bayern Munich.
Meanwhile, Süddeutsche Zeitung labelled the elimination even more embarrassing than Germany’s group-stage exit at the 2022 World Cup, arguing that the team could claim misfortune in Qatar but had no excuses this time. Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung went even further, describing Nagelsmann’s relationship with the national team as a “relationship beyond saving.”
There was, however, some sympathy for Germany regarding the disallowed goal. Former Liverpool manager Jürgen Klopp questioned the VAR decision while working as a television pundit during the tournament.
Speaking to German broadcaster MagentaTV, Klopp compared the incident to set-piece goals regularly scored by Arsenal in the Premier League, arguing that the goal should have stood.
International media also expressed surprise at the result. French newspaper L’Équipe called it the biggest shock of the World Cup so far, while Italy’s Gazzetta dello Sport praised Paraguay for fighting “with great heart and determination for every ball.”
In Spain, newspaper Marca summed up the mood surrounding Germany’s latest World Cup disappointment with the headline: “There’s nothing left of Germany. Not even in the penalty shootout.”
The defeat raises fresh questions about the future direction of German football and increases pressure on Nagelsmann after another painful World Cup campaign for one of the sport’s most successful nations.
