The end for Nagelsmann? Germany suffer their ‘next football nightmare’Figure caption, Paraguay stun Germany on penalties to reach last 16ByMichael EmonsBBC Sport journalistPublished6 hours agoThere was a time when Germany were expected to win football tournaments.Including their spell competing as West Germany, they have won the World Cup four times, losing in the final another four times, and they have won three of the six European Championship finals they have been in.But those days are over.The front page of Tuesday’s Bild newspaper summed it up with a headline that translates as ‘The next German football nightmare’ after Germany’s World Cup run came to an abrupt halt in the last 32, losing 4-3 on penalties to Paraguay after it had been 1-1 at the end of extra time.
Since their most recent World Cup success in 2014, Germany have failed to make it out of the group stage twice and have now lost in the first knockout match they have faced in 2026.
At the start of the competition, Paraguay were 41st in the Fifa world rankings, with Germany 10th. But that did not stop the South Americans handing Germany their first ever loss in a World Cup penalty shootout.
