Paraguay Shocks Germany in World Cup Round of 32 with Penalty Shootout Win

In a major upset at the 2026 World Cup, Paraguay eliminated Germany in the round of 32 after a 1-1 draw followed by a 4-3 victory in the penalty shootout. The match took place overnight between Monday and Tuesday, with Paraguay's goalkeeper Orlando Gill emerging as the hero by making several crucial saves. This marked Germany's first penalty shootout loss in World Cup history, having won all four previous shootouts.

Paraguay took the lead in the 42nd minute through Julio Enciso after a strong first half that challenged one of Europe's top teams. Germany equalized in the 55th minute with a goal from Kai Havertz and applied heavy pressure but failed to complete a comeback. In extra time, a potential winning goal by Jonathan Tah was disallowed after a VAR review due to a foul on the Paraguayan goalkeeper.

Orlando Gill, standing 1.98 meters tall and 26 years old, was instrumental in Paraguay's victory, making key saves during the shootout. The decisive penalty was scored by defender José Canale, securing Paraguay's advancement to the round of 16 and sending Germany home.