Germany and Netherlands knocked out of World Cup on penalties

Two of football's traditional powers, Germany and the Netherlands, have been eliminated from the World Cup following shock Round of 32 defeats on penalties on Monday, June 29, 2026. In a dramatic sequence of events across North America, Paraguay and Morocco secured historic victories to advance to the last 16, leaving the European giants shellshocked.

Paraguay Stuns Germany in Boston

Germany entered their clash against Paraguay as strong favorites after topping Group E. Their opponents, conversely, had only progressed as the seventh best third-place team in the tournament. Despite this disparity, Paraguay forced a 1-1 draw after extra-time in Boston.

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Julio Enciso, a former Brighton midfielder, gave Paraguay a first-half lead. Arsenal's Kai Havertz equalized after the break, flicking on a cross from Florian Wirtz. The match reached a boiling point in the 116th minute when Germany thought they had taken a 2-1 lead through a Jonathan Tah header. However, a VAR review led referee Jalal Jayed to disallow the goal, ruling that Waldemar Anton had fouled Paraguayan goalkeeper Orlando Gill during the buildup.

The decision sparked immediate controversy. Former Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp, speaking to MagentaTV, suggested a double standard in officiating, claiming Arsenal won't be English champions if such goals are illegal, as he alleged Arsenal scored 60 per cent of their goals that way during their Premier League title run. Klopp called the decision brutal.

The game proceeded to a penalty shootout that moved into sudden death. Following misses from Havertz, Nick Woltemade, and Tah, Paraguay won 4-3 after a final strike from Canale. Germany's Antonio Rudiger described the locker room as stunned to silence, stating It's very difficult to explain the elimination. Joshua Kimmich was more blunt, telling Sky Sport Germany that Germany deserved to be eliminated because they struggled against opponents who aren't world-class.

Morocco Ousts Netherlands in Monterrey

In Mexico, Morocco eliminated the Netherlands 3-2 on penalties after a 1-1 draw at Estadio Monterrey.

The game remained scoreless until the 72nd minute when Cody Gakpo scored for the Netherlands, assisted by Crysencio Summerville. The goal was deeply emotional; Gakpo broke down in tears after scoring, as he and his partner, Noa van der Bij, had recently lost their unborn child. Morocco responded in the 91st minute when Issa Diop powered home a header from a Chemsdine Talbi cross to force extra-time.

While Morocco dominated possession — recording 537 accurate passes compared to roughly half that for the Dutch — they struggled to convert territorial control into goals. The Netherlands appeared to adopt a timid, counter-attacking strategy that The New York Times described as antithetical to how the Dutch had succeeded in the group stage.

The resulting shootout was chaotic. Both teams missed two attempts, including a strike from Morocco's captain Achraf Hakimi that hit the post and a missed attempt from Justin Kluivert. Morocco goalkeeper Yassine Bounou proved decisive, saving a spot-kick from Summerville. Ismael Saibari then scored the winning penalty to secure Morocco's progression. Saibari, who has already agreed a £47million deal with Bayern Munich from PSV Eindhoven, has now scored in three World Cup group games, a first for an African player.

The loss is particularly stark for the Netherlands, who had not lost a World Cup knockout match in regulation since the 2010 final. The Dutch have now been eliminated on penalties in the 2014 semifinal, 2022 quarterfinal, and now the 2026 round of 32.

Comparison of Knockout Outcomes

Match	Full Time/ET Score	Shootout Result	Winning Goal/Save	Next Opponent
Paraguay vs. Germany	1-1	4-3 (Paraguay)	Canale	France or Sweden
Morocco vs. Netherlands	1-1	3-2 (Morocco)	Ismael Saibari	Canada

Other Round of 32 Results

Brazil also secured a place in the next round on Monday, overcoming an early goal from Japan's Kaishu Sano. Brazil turned the match around in Houston with a goal from Casemiro and a 95th-minute winner from Gabriel Martinelli to win 2-1.

Brazil manager Carlo Ancelotti noted that his team had to suffer, admitting that suffering is part of the game in the World Cup.

What to Watch Next

• Tuesday, June 30: Ivory Coast vs. Norway (1 p.m. ET) in Arlington, Texas; France vs. Sweden (5 p.m. ET) in East Rutherford, New Jersey; and Mexico vs. Ecuador (9 p.m. ET) in Mexico City.
• Saturday, July 5: Morocco will face Canada at NRG Stadium in Houston at 1 p.m. ET.