By KiddieDaily Editors · Jun 30, 2026 · 2 min read · Ages 8–10 · 3 sources

How Germany were handed a World Cup humbling and what it means to Paraguay

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xwhatsapp-strokecopylinkgoogleAdd Al Jazeera on GoogleinfoBy Al Jazeera Staff, AFP, AP and ReutersPublished On 30 Jun 202630 Jun 2026At a World Cup of plucky performances and unlikely odds upended, Paraguay have produced a shock for the ages.

The South American underdogs held Germany to a 1-1 draw after extra time, then eliminated the four-time world champions on penalties on Monday. This article will be opened in a new browser windowlist 4 of 4World Cup: Top 5 high-profile VAR and officiating controversies so farend of listThe outcome may well be the greatest upset in World Cup history, given it came in the group stage. Al Jazeera Sport takes a look at what the result means to the two countries.

At the World Cup in 1998, Paraguay were clinging to a 0-0 draw in a last-16 meeting with hosts France in the hope of some penalty shootout magic from goalkeeper Jose Luis Chilavert, but a 114th-minute golden goal by Laurent Blanc dashed that strategy. Twenty-eight years later, Paraguay pulled off what the Chilavert generation could not. Paraguay goalkeeper Orlando Gill saved the efforts of Kai Havertz and Nick Woltemade before Jonathan Tah fired over the bar, and the way was paved for Jose Canale to blast home the decisive spot kick.

It was the first time Germany had lost a penalty shootout at the World Cup. Gill has some history of his own as a penalty stopper. He saved two for his club side, San Lorenzo, in a shootout against River Plate in an Apertura match in Argentina in May, although San Lorenzo eventually lost.

How 🌍 Al Jazeera Covers It

xwhatsapp-strokecopylinkgoogleAdd Al Jazeera on GoogleinfoBy AFPPublished On 30 Jun 202630 Jun 2026Paraguay coach Gustavo Alfaro praised his players for producing an “extraordinary” performance after beating Germany on penalties to secure a place in the World Cup last 16 on Monday. Julio Enciso gave Paraguay a first-half lead in Foxborough, but Kai Havertz equalised, and it appeared four-time world champions Germany would eventually scrape through in extra time. However, Jonathan Tah had a goal chalked off, and Paraguay won 4-3 in a dramatic shootout after a 1-1 draw as goalkeeper Orlando Gill made two crucial saves.

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